


Dead Falls

by SamuelSadi



Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Alternate Universe - Zombie Apocalypse, Alternate Universe - Zombies, Apocalypse, F/M, Gen, Infected, Post-Zombie Apocalypse, Virus, Wendip, Wendy/Dipper, WendyDipper, Zombie Apocalypse, Zombies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-09
Updated: 2017-08-14
Packaged: 2018-06-01 03:48:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 17
Words: 40,059
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6499606
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SamuelSadi/pseuds/SamuelSadi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Zombies have invaded not only Gravity Falls, but most of the world. Dipper and Mabel must survive... but with the only way in and out of Gravity Falls blocked. Their parents not answering... they hole themselves up in Dusk til Dawn, where they encounter an old friend. They stay, until even the only fenced in area is no longer safe. Will they survive? Or become infected. Find out...</p><p>Finally reordered</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chaos in the Attic, and In Town

AVAVA  
(Mabel's PoV)  
VAVAV

 

Repeated gunshots rang in her ears, as she cowered behind her brother. Normally she'd feel safe behind her brother, if he wasn't the one firing the weapon. Actually it wasn't Dipper firing the gun that was what she was afraid of... no it was what he was firing at. Former friends, even former family... Something had happened over night while they slept in their beds in the attic of the Mystery Shack. Something that you'd only ever expect to see in the movies... or read in books... an infection broke out. People had become... Undead... zombies... reanimated corpses... infected... it didn't matter what you called them. They came to the call of anything. That was the problem... no matter the sound, they came... and came hungry. 

She always disliked that their Great Uncle, former Great Uncle, Stan had kept guns and ammo in the house. Not even under lock and key. However, given the situation her and Dipper were currently in, she was relieved that he hadn't listened to her and locked them away. In fact, if he had, she was sure that she and Dipper would have ended up just like everyone else they've met so far. Former friends... or friendly faces they knew... were no longer friendly.... no longer friends. Some of these people she'd known for years, visiting Gravity Falls for the summers. 

Her and Dipper were now sixteen, meaning some of these people, they'd known for four years. One of the guns was put into her hands, as more shots fired... Mabel couldn't do these people harm... no, Dipper understood that about her. However, he did expect her to help reload the weapons for him. 

I can do that, she thought as she pulled an empty magazine out of the hand gun and put another into it, then pressing the reloaded weapon into Dipper's free hand. Then she put bullet after bullet into the empty magazine for the next reload. It had taken her a couple times to get the motions down... the first couple of times it had almost ended badly for them, but they barely made it. All of this just leaving The Mystery Shack... they were only on Main St. When the firing finally stopped. Mabel reloaded the guns once more, the firing didn't start again when she handed the weapon back to her brother.

“Lets go Mabel... try not to look back.” Dipper said in a monotonic voice. It couldn't be easy for Dipper, she'd left him the only line of defense, because she couldn't use one of those things... neither could he before this morning... it's amazing how well you learn when it's 'learn or die'.

“O-Okay.” She didn't look back, she couldn't look back... she didn't want to know if any of her friends were behind her. As they continued walking, she thought about how the morning started.  
AVAVA  
(This Morning, Mabel's PoV)  
VAVAV

Mabel woke up like she normally did. Full of energy. She wasn't sure where it came from, but was glad it was there. Dipper sleeping peacefully in his bed across the room. Like most mornings she decided, she'd take a shower before she woke Dipper up... that way there was no argument who was going to get the bathroom first. It was cheating... but as they say, 'You snooze, you lose.'

On her way to the bathroom across the hall, she heard what sounded like groaning and grumbling downstairs. Not unusual, she thought to herself, knowing that Grunkle Stan didn't always wake up in the best of moods. She shrugged it off going into the bathroom. She took her shower, dressed. Then went to wake up her brother, always one of the highlights of her mornings.

“Dippy! Time to get up Sleepy head!” Mabel yelled, causing her brother to sit up looking around in shock a moment, before focusing on her.

“Mabel! How many times have I told you not to wake me up like that?” Dipper rubbed his eyes and swung his feet off the bed, and onto the floor.

“A thousand and forty-eight times.” She answered, even though she wasn't sure if that was the correct number. Then heard slow foot steps coming up the stairs... it was strange, because no one came up here for anything. The third floor was for her and Dipper, even had the bathroom installed up there a couple summers ago... Maybe Stan needed help or something. “I think Stan's coming up, Bro-Bro.”

Stan came into view as he walked... no shambled into the room. He looked sick enough he shouldn't have even gotten out of bed. It looked like there was blood on his hands and face. He looked at Dipper, then at her. He growled... -growled?- then started towards her. At first she thought it was some kind of joke, until he started trying to bite her... like really bite her.

“Dipper! He's... trying to... bite... me... Help.” The last word came out as a whimper, because she couldn't keep him from biting her much longer, and she started sobbing. She knew this was going to hurt.

A thud... she couldn't tell what happened, only that Dipper had her arm, and was pulling her down the stairs. The first thing they noticed were body parts... but she couldn't tell who they belonged to, wasn't sure she even wanted to know who they belonged to. Dipper went into Stan's office, closing the door behind him. He took the two handguns off the desk, dug through the drawers, closet, and other places.

When he finished, he ended up with three handguns, one rifle... that she was sure neither of them could shoot, a couple machetes for when they did forest tours, five boxes of ammo. And other things she wasn't paying attention to... because her Grunkle Stan just tried to eat her... Dipper handed her a duffel bag, and put everything in it, except the rifle he slung over his shoulder, and he held one of the handguns. Dipper opened the door, and motioned for her to follow... and she did, until she saw Stan come around the corner.

“Stan... Stop... don't make me do this.” Dipper pleaded. But Mabel was able to see it now, her and Dipper had seen enough horror movies to know that... that wasn't Stan anymore. A shot fired... and again... and again. The last one hit it's mark and Stan fell. Dipper grabbed the keys to Stan's car, and pulled her into the kitchen. “Come on... Help me pack some of this.”

She noticed the other duffel bag that he now had, and was packing canned food and meats into it... Stan had always prepared for some apocalypse, guess he didn't expect to end up on the other side of it. So they filled both duffel bags, one with canned foods, and utensils. And the other, flashlights, candles, matches... anything that could be useful. Then together, They went out to the shed, and found the camping gear... and loaded it into Stan's car. Once in he tried starting it... nothing...

“Damn it!” he slammed his hands on the wheel of the car, causing the horn to go off. They both got out. “Okay... okay... We'll go into town... and take a truck from that used car lot... yeah... then come back here get the stuff... and then stock up at the stores in town before we get out of here.”

She didn't need to ask where they were going... she wasn't sure. But Dipper, he was a conspiracy nut... so she had to trust him... this was where he excelled, in the strange and weird. The horn... seemed to have summoned others like Stan... and the gunshots started...

AVAVA  
(Present, Mabel's PoV)  
VAVAV

 

She and Dipper headed down Main St, and now they were not far from the used car lot. A couple of times Dipper had mentioned he'd rather not take one of these cars... as the lot was owned by Gideon Gleeful's father, possibly as much of a con-artist as their Gruncle Stan... was. He didn't really trust that they'd last long... but having no other choice, they continued on their way. 

They made it to the corner of Main St, and looked down the empty road ahead. Gravity Falls always had little to no traffic, and was always empty at this time of morning. But Mabel couldn't help but look out and just be reminded more of what was happening. The Log shaped restaurant, Greasy's Diner, came into view. There was movement in the windows... neither her nor Dipper looked long enough to find out, if they were people hiding, or if it was these... infected people. They could see the used car lot up ahead and made a run for it. Dipper went straight for the door of the building, and found it locked.

“What now, Dip?” Mabel asked looking at the door, as Dipper used the handle of the gun to smash the glass door. “What the heck, Dip!”

“Not like it matters anymore, Mabs.” He said stepping through the broken glass door. Mabel followed him, her arm caught a piece of the glass, cutting it slightly.

“Oww.” She pulled up the sleeve of her shirt, it wasn't that big of a cut... but it hurt. 

“We'll fix it up when we find the keys and get back to the shack...” Dipper's voice came from the other side of the room. It wasn't that he didn't care that she got cut... she knew that. Dipper was in 'flight or fight' mode, and was intent on fleeing as fast as the could. “Found them!”

With the keys in hand they made their way out of the building, carefully this time. Mabel shrieked in fright as shots from Dippers gun sounded in the air. Breaking the glass must have attracted them. Mabel picked up the keys, and pushed the buttons on it... One of the SUV's lights blinked on and off. And that was where she ran too, Dipper followed suit. 

Once inside, they closed and locked the doors of the SUV, and Mabel started the engine. It wasn't either of their plans for her to drive. But at the moment they didn't have much choice, she thought as she put the duffel bag she carried in Dippers lap for him to reload, or take another hand gun. They'd started out with five boxes of ammo... but Dipper wasn't that good of an aim and five boxes had quickly turned to three.

“Drive Mabel!” Dipper shouted.... easier said than done, she thought as she put the vehicle in gear and hit the gas peddle. Mabel had only driven a handful of times... in a smaller car, and not very well. She tried to make it out of the gate, resulting in the loss of the passenger mirror. “It's okay... it's okay, to the shack Mabel... you can do it... just a bit slower.”

“O-Okay.” Knowing Dipper believed she could do it, made her feel a bit better, she thought as she continued towards the Shack and was there in no time. She pulled up next to Stan's car that held all their supplies. Not thinking about the bodies that she had to drive over to get there. It looked clear... She went to open the door, when Dipper stopped her, and put one of the handguns in her hand. “No... Dip I don't...”

“Mabel... just carry it. I'd feel better. I hope you don't have to use it... I just want you to have it if you need it.” Then he got out his side transferring everything over to the SUV. “Now... we can go back into the Shack... and get clothing and stuff.”

They had finished packing up, after Dipper and her checked every inch of the shack to make sure that nothing was hiding inside. Dipper managed to find another box and a half of ammo, and another hand gun. Only problem was, it was took a different kind of bullet. But it was loaded. Dipper said... it was ten more shots regardless. 

Dipper took all the money from the cash register and the credit cards from Stan's wallet, she had argued that it wouldn't do much good. Dipper mentioned Food and Drink Machines would still work, and Gas pumps would use the cards... it would be safer than going inside a store. That made sense... she was glad she had Dipper, because he mentioned to bring her sweaters and blankets. She'd forgotten that it was near the end of Summer, and nights were starting to get cold. More food this time... When they put everything in the back of the SUV there was still so much room... How long would it even last them?

Dipper got into the driver's seat and sat there for a while. She wished she knew what was going through his head. Dipper put it into gear, turned the vehicle around and back to the main road. Dipper turned right... but right lead back to town, and left lead out of town.

“We are going to get more gas. Stop at the grocery store and get some Gas cans just in case. Some more food, and water. Try to find out if this is a Gravity Falls weirdness thing, and see if we can get a hold of mom and dad.” Mom and Dad... she hadn't even thought about it... would they have to do to them what Dipper had to do to Stan? Could he even do that? Mabel knew, that if it meant keeping him and her safe... he'd do what he had to, and grieve later.

The grocery store was empty, she assumed that was due to everything happening before it even opened. Dipper grabbed a first aid kit and started cleaning her cut, and bandaging it up. Then packed what medical supplies he could find into a box with everything else. They only found two gas cans though. More canned food, and drinks. Since this store was one of the only in this small town, luckily it catered to hunters. And Dipper was able to find three more boxes of ammo for the hand guns. And taking a couple of the shotguns, all the boxes of shells they had loaded them into the SUV. Then most confusing was the chains and pad locks he took. And tossed them into the backseat.

Luckily the gas station was in the same shape... Empty. Dipper said he really didn't want to shoot a gun that close to gas pumps. Now that she thought about it, she wasn't thrilled about the idea either. He filled up the gas cans, then filled the SUV up as much as the tank would hold. After the grocery store, and gas station, the only part of the SUV that wasn't full was the first row of the back, and their seats. She used the phone inside to try to call her parents, while Dipper emptied the registers. No answer, so she tried some of her friends... the same. Then tried 911... again no answer.

“No answer Dip” she muttered. While she wasn't paying attention Dipper had microwaved some of the breakfast sandwiches, and handed her two of them. 

“It'll be alright... I'm sure mom and dad are okay. Now eat... we need to eat something we didn't get breakfast.” They ate in silence inside the store, watching out the window. That was one of the better things about a small town... not too many people, so less would be infected... and there would be less people to infect. They returned to the SUV, Mabel loaded down with candy... comfort food mostly. “Okay lets get out of here.”

“Okay.” Mabel agreed as they got back into the SUV and they passed Dusk to Dawn, the abandoned convenient store. And started out of town. Mabel wasn't paying attention, she was trying to focus on eating the Gummy Koalas. When Dipper slammed on breaks, she about choked on one. “What the...” 

The tunnel through the mountain, the only way out of Gravity Falls, by road was blocked. Seemed they were not the only ones to try to leave town... a few cars seemed to have crashed into the opening in the tunnel. Dipper cursed again and just sat there. What would happen now, they were blocked off from... from what? If the rest of the world was like this... then... 

“What now?” Dipper muttered, then turned the car around... Mabel heard the growling before she saw it. About a hundred of 'them' were coming towards the SUV... Dipper drove back into town. “Where's the safest place... where's the.. safest... Dusk to Dawn!”

“Why there?”

“It's fenced in! High Fences. We just drive through the gates, then lock it up behind us.” Dipper said turning into the fenced in convenient store. Not far from the gate... he grabbed the chains and the locks and chained the fence closed, locking the chains together. She walked with him around the fence, to make sure that there wasn't another way in... satisfied he looked at her. “There... we'll be safe here... until we figure out where to go from here.”

Dipper moved the SUV, so the back of it was located right in front of the gate. Then she helped him up onto the roof, and waited for him to come and open the door, like he had done all those years ago. When the lights came on, she sighed in relief... and went to get things out of the SUV they'd need for the next couple days... or how ever long it took to figure out a plan. Then she heard a gunshot, and then a scream.

“Dipper damn it... It's me!” A female voice yelled. One Mabel recognized, though she hadn't heard it for a couple of years. She was right as Dipper walked out of the store, the familiar redhead walking behind him.

“Wendy! When did you get in town?” Mabel hugged the older teen, just happy someone else was alive.

“Unlucky for me, I got here two days ago... When everything went nutzo, I went to leave last night... but I couldn't get past those cars... so I ran for the only place I could think of that no one would go to.” She looked at Dipper, “And it worked great too, until someone tried to blow my head off.”

“You shouldn't have jumped out at me.” he muttered, his cheeks turning red. He must have still had a crush on her... or seeing her again might have revived old memories.

“You shouldn't have jumped from the ceiling.” she playfully pushed Dipper. “Speaking of shooting. You wouldn't happen to have an extra gun, would you... just in case.”

Dipper grabbed the duffel bag of weapons, and canned food, while she and Wendy grabbed the camping gear, blankets and clothes. They used the sleeping bags, and blankets to make 'beds'. While Dipper used the counter, to catalog the weapons. Her and Wendy stood there watching him. As he handed Wendy a handgun.

“We have about... six and a half boxes of 9mm ammo. That’s about 325 rounds for the handguns... except this one.” He put the other one down on the counter. “That one has ten shots.” He placed the shotguns and rifle on the counter, along with ten boxes of Shotgun shells. “Twenty-Five to a box, so... 250 shotgun shells... and the rifle takes 9mm bullets.”

“So what does that handgun take?” Mabel pointed to the one with ten shots. 

“.357 Bullets. I couldn't find any of the bullets for it anywhere, but it's still ten more shots.” Dipper muttered then went on to placing the machetes on the table. “And these... that I don't know will help... normally they don't come alone... so it's like a last resort.”

Dipper locked up the SUV, then used another chain and padlock to lock the front doors closed. She figured it might be a just in case thing, so she didn't ask. And the day slipped by gradually, Dipper had reloaded/loaded all the weapons, then turning on the safeties, then showed her how to turn the safety on and off. Wendy already knew... maybe because her dad hunted. She hoped that Wendy was a better shot than Dipper... or else they'd lose ammo twice as fast.

When night came Wendy suggested they turn off the outside lights, and Dipper just said he'd rather see them coming. Wendy and Mabel both agreed they would rather see them, than them getting to the glass doors unnoticed, because by then, it might be to late. Dipper would stay awake while they slept, and he'd wake her when he got too tired, then she was supposed to wake Wendy. Mabel laid on the makeshift bed, and it felt like it took forever to fall asleep but sleep finally came.

AVAVA  
(Dipper's PoV)  
VAVAV

 

Dipper watched Mabel, and his former crush Wendy fall asleep. He made himself another sandwich from the canned meat, and grabbed one of the bags of chips Mabel had grabbed at the grocery store, then he moved one of the coolers to where he could see out the door and sat there watching the night. His weapon sitting next to him. Oh he wouldn't shoot through the door, that would provide a little more protection if something managed to make it over the fence, but he felt better just having it within arms reach. 

The time came and went for him to wake up Mabel. He looked over at his sister. He couldn't wake her up, she wouldn't be able to stand watch. Mabel just didn't have it in her right now to use a gun... she was having issues still seeing these things as people. He couldn't blame her, he still saw them as the people he knew... but he didn't have a choice. He did what was needed to be done to protect Mabel and himself. He'd killed Stan... he didn't even know if there was some kind of cure. He wouldn't cry... he did what he had to do.

When morning came, of course Mabel and Wendy were upset that he didn't wake either of them. He told them that he wanted to let them rest longer, that they both needed rest. Of course Mabel rebounded with the fact that he had done most of the work yesterday. It was true enough... but still, he didn't want to wake them, they had looked too peaceful.

“At least get some sleep now, please Dippy?” Mabel pleaded, he had planned on getting rest anyways, though later. However the thought of sleeping was very alluring to him.

“Alright... but only for a while.” He said as he laid down on the blankets that Mabel had slept on. He considered taking the SUV to one of the stores to grab mattresses if they planned to be here a while, because the blankets barely cushioned the hard floor. Despite the sun being out, and the hard floor he could feel beneath him, sleep didn't take long to claim him. Yesterday's tolls had caught up with him a long time ago, and he was no longer fighting back.

AVAVA

When he awoke he looked over to the clock on the wall, it wasn't even noon yet. He felt as if he'd slept hours and hours, but he'd only been asleep for about four hours. Didn't matter, he felt refreshed. He yawned sitting up, Mabel and Wendy were eating and talking about something. He heard static, like a radio between stations. He stood up and walked over.

“You awake already?” Wendy looked up at him.

“Yeah... So what whats up?” He yawned again, while making himself something to eat... whatever it was in a can that they had opened. It smelt good, so he couldn't really complain. With the freezers here, and the coolers, maybe they could transport some meats... it would all go bad eventually, freezing it might help them save whatever canned food they had until they really needed it.

“Aside from most of the planet going insane? Nothing much.” Wendy explained that they got the radio working for a while, listening to a report that was being made about this infection being a nation wide pandemic, for several countries. But the message of the person had stopped and hadn't continued yet. That explained the static. 

“And... we were talking about going out to get Wendy some clothes. None of mine will fit her.” Dipper looked at Wendy, while he and Mabel had grown, they were still short by normal standards, so it was no wonder, Mabel’s clothing wouldn't fit... also they could get mattresses... but not with the SUV. Maybe they could take a truck from the car lot... It would help bring some more things back here if they planned to be here longer... And the way things were going... this looked like the safest place in Gravity Falls.

“Okay, but we'll need a truck... we can go back to the used car lot,” That decided, all three of them worked together to get everything out of the SUV, to better carry more stuff back, and taking their weapons with them. Before leaving Dipper padlocked the gates, closing off the store. Now they would be sure that none of the infected would be inside. It was easier to get a truck, they didn't have to break any windows. 

It didn't take Wendy long to gather what she wanted/needed, they picked up some mattresses from the Mystery Shack... it was the only place with them, that they were almost 100% sure was safe. Then they once again went into the grocery store, then gas station, to top off the SUV and completely fill the truck. But it wasn't long before the familiar sounds of the infected caught their attention. Rather than fight, they got into the vehicles and made their way back to their 'base'. A few infected followed and were pushing against the fence... maybe looking for a way in. Dipper decided not to wasted ammo on something that couldn't get them.

It all seemed calm as they unloaded everything they'd gathered into their 'base'. Dipper was still tired, and still felt guilty about what he'd done... and the fact that Mabel couldn't reach their parents on Wendy's cell was starting to eat at him. Food would only last so long before it ran out... and with no companies working... there wouldn't be more made. And while this place was safe... they couldn't grow any food here, or raise any animals.

“You alright Dipper?” Wendy asked, and it was really the first time she said something to just him, since he'd tried to shoot her. It was a good thing he wasn't a good shot... he'd already killed enough... it would have been worse if he'd killed someone that wasn't infected.

“I killed Stan.” his voice cracked a bit... he couldn't break down now. Not when his sister still needed him. Not when their survival depended on him, because Mabel couldn't shoot anything. “And a lot of others... I almost shot you.”

“Pfft, you were way off.” She smiled a bit, but it barely cracked his depression that was setting in. “And you didn't have a choice... Mabel told me about Stan... Dipper you saved her. Most people would have ran when they saw that. You stayed for your sister. She's lucky to have you. From now on, we are going to have to do things we might not like. Right and wrong... legally are not right and wrong anymore. It's survive or die. Dipper. Survive or die.”

Survive or die. Those words would stay with him forever. Because that was what needed to be done, they would survive or die. This place would only stand as a base until he found somewhere else for them to go. Somewhere with land they could farm... and protected. He just wished he could think of a place near here. But that would have to wait for another day.


	2. Dusk Til Dawn, Gone Wrong

***  
(Mabel's PoV)  
***

 

The amount of the infected had increased over the last few days. Mabel thought they were lucky that Dipper had the foresight to gather supplies when they could. If he hadn't, they would only have had old stale junk food to satisfy their hunger, instead of actual food. Dipper had been acting stranger and stranger with each passing day. Normally in 'zombie' movies, the male lead would be strong, intelligent, and of course, have some kind of military, or police training. Also they usually already knew how to use a gun... but this wasn't a movie.

Dipper was intelligent, but strong... he wasn't... unless you counted will power, and mentally. Mabel counted those things, but she wasn't sure that would be enough... not that she didn't feel safe with Dipper, she feared for him, each day that passed she saw less and less of him, as he stayed awake during the nights, just staring out the doors, as more and more of the things surrounded the gate. Growling and pushing at their only form of protection. Mabel wondered how long the old fences would last, if even more showed up.

Mabel looked over to Dipper, sleeping peacefully on the mattress, she used at night. Now this was the only time she saw him peaceful. He hardly spoke to anyone, other then when someone asked him a question, usually her. Wendy had tried, but it seemed that she realized something was wrong long before Mabel had.

“Hey, Wendy?” Mabel looked at the older teen, that still stood above her, leaning against the counter reading a magazine, that had to be over ten years old.. After four years, her and Dipper had barely reached five foot, five inches, and were still considerably smaller than most.

“Yeah,” Wendy turned from the magazine.

“Do you know what's wrong with Dipper?” The older teen jerked her head to look at Dipper. Obviously she thought Mabel meant now.

“No... I mean he's been acting weird...” Mabel shifted her feet a bit. “I mean...weirder than someone would in a... well I'm not sure how you are supposed to act in a situation like this.”

“From what I've been able to get out of him at night. He's the only one that's actually killed these things out of us.” Mabel nodded, she had assumed Wendy had killed some to get here... maybe she was lucky enough to get here, before things got really bad. “So... I'm not sure what he's going through, but I can't imagine that killing friends... and family, even if they are these... things, could be easy.”

“But I can't...”

“I know... Dipper knows. It's not your fault Mabel. You don't like violence... much less killing. You know we have to... but still you just can't, can you?” Wendy sat on the floor with her back against the counter. Mabel followed suit.

“No... but if I had to... I don't know.” Mabel looked to the floor... it was hard for her. She knew she had to... but at the same time, she felt like it was wrong. She knew these people were not the same people she knew... but it was hard to tell that, when she saw the faces of friends and people she knew. “What about you... Have you...?”

“No... I only came back to grab things.” It was easy to forget, with everything that's happened, that the reason she hadn't seen Wendy in a while, was because her family had moved a few years before. “So... I didn't have to... I don't even know if my family is alright or not.”

“We couldn't get a hold of our mom and dad either.” Mabel sighed, and looked down. She hadn't forgotten, not really. But she'd been too worried about everything else going on, she hadn't thought about her and Dippers mother and father in a couple days... She was so used to just -knowing- they were alright.

After a few hours of idol talking... actually Wendy did most of the talking and Mabel just sat there, not really listening, but listening enough she could comment when she needed to. When Wendy asked her to help her move some of the supplies in the back room, to clear some of the floor for their base. Not that it was in the way, she suspected that Wendy was just trying to help keep them occupied as to not think about what was going on outside.

Once the last box had been moved into the back room, that Mabel assumed used to be an office for the store's owners or manager. Then Mabel sat on the desk that was against the wall, while Wendy took the office chair. The conversation that Mabel was barely apart of resumed, only this time Mabel made an attempt to actually be more involved... she couldn't just ignore her forever... maybe it would help to talk about her feelings, and about other things. 

They heard glass shattering, moments later gun fire, it stopped only a moment before it resumed. Then the loud blast of one of the shotguns. By the time they made it out of the room, there were corpses everywhere, and Dipper was on the floor holding his arm, a few of the infected moving towards him. Mabel held up the handgun she was given, and fired... again and again and again... even after the infected had fallen, which was more of Wendy's ability than her own, Mabel still continued to pull the trigger, the gun clicking over and over... Staring blankly at the bodies laying in front of her. She was vaguely aware of Wendy prying the weapon out of her hand. twenty-two bullets in the gun she used... she thought that it wouldn't take long to use... but it felt like it had taken her a long time to empty the clip. 

When she returned to her senses Dipper was sitting in the front seat of the SUV wearing some kind of make-shift sling, while Wendy was carrying things back and forth from the office to the vehicles. She became aware that she was holding a box full of food, and started towards the SUV when Wendy called her. It didn't take as long as she imagined to clean out their supplies, and personal belongings. 

Once Everything was packed up, Wendy went to check on Dipper, she had to put his shoulder back into place... Mabel didn't even remember it happening. Seems somehow the infected got in. When Dipper woke up he did what he could, but when he ran out of bullets, and not able to reload, he went for the shotgun. Which ended up being too much for him to handle. They tried to figure out where they should go from there. Gravity Falls was a small town with older homes and buildings. Solid to live in, but most wouldn't take a beating from these crazed infected for more than a few days... if that. It took them only a few days to get through the fence.

“Hey, over here.” Dipper called, she turned to look where Dipper called from, and the look on Wendy's face said that she hadn't noticed him moving either. As they got closer to Dipper, Mabel noticed that he was holding up part of the chain.

“It's the chain.” she said, while Wendy just shrugged her shoulders, as wondering what about it.

“It's not broken. It's been cut.” That got her and Wendy's attention fast, and when she got a closer look, the links had been cut. Unless the infected had learned a new trick, which she doubted. Someone deliberately cut the chain, allowing the infected into the fenced in area.

“Maybe there are other survivors, and they tried to get in... and ran for it when the infected came?” Wendy pondered aloud.

“But wouldn't the infected have followed them when they ran?” Mabel asked, and Dipper just pulled the chain, saying it could be useful later.

“I don't know... the infected act like zombies in the movies... but we can't be sure... movies are after all just movies.” he walked back to the SUV, the hand of his good arm resting on the gun on his side. Mabel followed Wendy, as they went back into the store to check for anything else usable. While Dipper kept an eye on the gate.

 

***  
(Dipper's PoV)  
*** 

He stood out looking at the chain, and watching the gate at the same time. Someone had cut it. Did they cut the chain to try to find a safe place? To lure the infected in, then climb the fence hoping to trap them? Deep down, he worried that someone had deliberately cut the chain, to turn the survivors inside into a snack for the infected. That troubled him. He could kill these infected easily, but would he be able to take another person's life? If his, Mabel's or Wendy's life depended on it... yes, he could.

Hopefully there wouldn't be many more infected. Gravity Falls was a small town after all, or so he thought. He'd never actually seen all of it. There was really no telling how many people lived in or around the area. Most of the town's social events had been more crowded then you would expect from a small town. So he wasn't about to let his guard down again. 

The pain in his shoulder was a throbbing reminder of him letting his guard down. He wouldn't rest until he found a safe place for Mabel. Though he hadn't said it to her yet, he was actually proud of her. She might be too sensitive to just kill the infected, but she'd managed to take the shot when it counted. If it hadn't been for her, he would have been bitten. Then he wouldn't have been able to protect her, and that would never happen, he would always protect his sister. He would try to shield her from as much of this as he could.

***

“So where can we go Dipper?” Mabel asked from behind him. Even though it had only been no more than twenty minutes since they last spoke, it felt like it had been days since he talked with Mabel. It was true though in a way. They had planned, talking about food... safe places... all about survival... even now it was about where they could go. He hadn't actually talked to his sister normally in what felt like a lifetime, even though it had only been a few days. “Dipper?”

“Huh... oh. I'm not sure. There are a couple places that might be safe, until we figure out where we will go from there.” He had thought about the Shack, but he wasn't sure Mabel would be able to handle being back there. He'd only been to Wendy's house, old house once before, and from the looks of it, during the one day Wendy hid out, someone had looted it... or well tried to. They hadn't told Mabel that the items that was going to be stolen in the house were in one spot, and it looked like there was a big struggle. The infected must have come in behind the looter.

At first he had thought of the police station. But with it's brick walls, iron cells for protection. Not to mention the guns and ammo that would be in there... it would be the first place looters would loot... might even stay there, and now they couldn't trust people to just not shoot first. They wouldn't be staying long wherever they went, a few days at most. There was one place, that the girls might not approve of, but it was heavily guarded. If memory served him right, there was an RV at the used car lot... they could take it and park it...

“There is one place...” Dipper muttered, tossing the chain into the SUV... “But I'm not entirely sure, you guys would be alright with it.”

“Dipper, anywhere is better than nowhere.” Wendy had rejoined them, and Mabel nodded in agreement... Alright, but they said anywhere was better, he's soon find out.

“The graveyard. It's surrounded by a high wrought iron fence. Me and Mabel couldn't even squeeze through the bars when were were smaller.” They didn't seem to be completely on board with it. Well going to a graveyard during a 'zombie' attack, might not feel the safest. He explained that the gates opened inward, so they could close the gate, and park one of the vehicles in front of it. They wouldn't have to rely on a chain, that could be cut again. Then mentioned the RV, and the building inside the graveyard wasn't big, but had power, which they could run an extension cord to the building. And that the RV would have more room to store supplies in.

“I kinda see your point... but really the graveyard? That's kinda... weird man.” Wendy said, but didn't argue against his point.

“I go where you go, Dip.” Mabel muttered, obviously not too thrilled with the idea, but that she would go where he went. That loyalty meant a lot to him.

***

They had managed to get the RV without incident, and managed to get all three vehicles to the graveyard. This time Mabel wasn't the one with poor driving skills. His shoulder still hurt too much to be able to use it to drive with. He was lucky that all he'd taken out was a mail box, he thought as he pulled into the graveyard. Like before, he took the other three chains, and locks, and locked the gate, before having Wendy back the truck against the gate. 

Then came the task of moving the majority of the food and supplies into the RV that would be their 'home' until they could figure out something else. Dipper unloaded the power cord and plugged it into the outlet of the small building, and the same with the water line. This would just have to do for now, he thought as he walked around the fence making sure there wasn't another way in. Luckily it wasn't a large graveyard. Maybe half an acre.

Then he wished he had some cameras to put up around the area for security. Did anywhere in Gravity Falls have that kind of equipment? He'd look tomorrow, he planned to unload everything, and go out and get more supplies. What they had could last them weeks, but they needed much more than that.

Inside the RV was bigger than he thought it would be, then again it looked bigger than normal. Mabel was busy cooking on the stove, something they hadn't had in the convenient store, while Wendy was putting as much meat into the freezer as she could. Another thing on the list to bring back tomorrow. They'd need to stop by the hardware store, maybe there would be generators there. In case something happened with the power lines, no one would be there to fix them. The cabinets were now filled with canned food, luckily there were plates and silverware. It made him wonder if this belonged to the Gleefuls, and not just another vehicle that was for sale. 

If they ever managed to get out of Gravity Falls, this RV would really come in handy, and it was a good thing Wendy knew how to drive it. He was sure Mabel wouldn't be able to... wasn't even sure if he would be able to. He yawned. He'd been sleeping mostly during the day, and watching at night. Since he was woken up suddenly in the middle of his sleeping cycle, and hadn't had a chance to catch up, he was becoming tired.

“We should head to bed, you know.” Wendy said as they were eating.

“But I need...”

“No buts,” Wendy interrupted, with Mabel nodding in agreement. “Nothing's getting through that gate with the truck there. We can afford to sleep.”

“Yeah Dipper. You haven't been sleeping much as it is.” He wanted to argue, as Mabel said it, but he couldn't. He was tired and for the moment, it seemed they were safe. 

After they finished dinner, and cleaned up. Dipper was thankful that the little water heater in the RV worked. He sighed happily as he stepped under the warm water. None of them had been able to shower since all this began. Now that he thought about it, they could have taken turns in one of the houses, while two stood guard. Isn't that always how it is? Hind sight being twenty-twenty. It didn't matter anymore, they had a shower now. And since it was hooked up even when they left, it still held water tanks, so it would at least carry enough water for them until they filled it up again.

On his way out of the shower, he passed back through the only bedroom in the RV. He looked longingly at the bed. Then he shook his head deciding to let the girls share it. The couch looked more than comfortable. He watched Wendy head off in the direction of the shower, then made his way to the couch. It seemed that Wendy and Mabel had come to the same conclusion with the sleeping arrangement. Mabel even asked if he wanted to bring in one of the mattresses and put it in front of the couch. He didn't really mind the couch, it was a place to sleep.

“So Bro. Do you still have a crush on Wendy?” Leave it to Mabel to stay herself, mostly herself, even in this kind of situation. Now that he thought about it, he wasn't sure. He hadn't really even seen Wendy in the past few years since her family moved from Gravity Falls.

“I don't know.” And that was true, he had thought he'd gotten over the redhead. But even he couldn't deny he'd been more than overjoyed when they'd found her. However he wasn't sure if that was because she was a survivor, and as far as they knew, the only other not infected person in Gravity Falls. “Maybe... I don't really know.”

He thought he'd have issues sleeping, while the other two slept, but as soon as he laid down on the couch he drifted off to sleep easily. No tossing and turning, not even a bad dream. They were safe now, or at least safe for the moment, and that was all that mattered.

 

***

 

The next few days went by with not much trouble. A couple times they had to kill some infected as they went out for supplies, they had even managed to find a pull behind camper. It wasn't as big as the RV, but it did have two bedrooms. So him and Mabel would have a room, and Wendy would have the big RV's bedroom. They would continue eating together, as most of the pull behind camper would be used as additional storage. More weapons were found in various houses, that Wendy pointed out. She knew the owners had been hunters. Numerous handguns, and a lot more bullets. Since not many infected had been spotted, they assumed most of them were dead. 

However Wendy did mention Gravity Falls was much bigger than the town looked. She explained that what they knew of Gravity Falls, was basically like 'downtown'. Smaller, and older looking. Beyond the trees a few miles south, the bigger part dwelt. Maybe the infected stayed in their area, or went south. Maybe they were hiding in the woods, he didn't know. 

What he did know, was that they'd managed to get three generators that ran on gas, and two that were solar. Two freezers that were now filled completely with meats, along with both freezers in the two dwellings. They'd even had to start using the little building as storage for the canned meats and food, because they'd ran out of room in other places.

Dipper was now working with the camera's that he'd taken from a couple stores. He couldn't find any thing, other than camera's used as security cameras in the buildings itself. So he was wiring them around the graveyard and running them back to the RV, since it had the only TV available. He would need more, since he could only switch between cameras, but for now, it was something.

Him and Wendy had spent a lot of time together, since they'd left Mabel to 'guard' the base. Mainly because she wasn't used to using guns, and might freeze up again. She seemed all to happy to stay in the gated haven, even if it was a graveyard. He didn't know if had a crush on her still, or if he was developing a new one. Either way... he was worried about the outcome.


	3. New Comer, And Another Group

AVAVA  
( Dipper's PoV )  
VAVAV

It had been a little over two weeks since he, Mabel and Wendy had started using the graveyard as a base. With each passing day he and Wendy would brought more supplies back. Mostly they went in search of more ammo and weapons. Sadly they hadn't found much more... not enough to consider speaking about anyways. They had found bows and arrow... and within the last two weeks, neither him nor Wendy had been able to hit anything with them. So they were added to the 'last resort' weapons, along with the machetes and bats. 

Last week he and Wendy had started going to the tunnel that lead out of Gravity Falls with the SUV and the truck, trying to move the wreckage enough so where they could leave. However, once they moved enough cars to see deeper into the tunnel, they realized why they hadn't seen many of the infected around Gravity Falls. Just past the cars were what seemed to be hundreds of them. Neither he nor Wendy knew if they had come from Gravity Falls itself, or if they had come from another town and were not smart enough to leave the tunnel the way they had came.

At first Dipper dismissed the idea that they were dead. However now that almost three weeks had passed, and none of them were showing signs of starving to death, it really made Dipper wonder what they were. It seems impossible with the laws of physics that they were reanimated dead... then again him and Mabel had witnessed many things in Gravity Falls that didn't follow those laws. For now, he'd just continue questioning what they were...

Despite constant monitoring, nothing had been aired over the radio waves. Some days the constant sound of static in the back ground was almost maddening. Then one day when he and Wendy returned from gathering supplies, they were met by an overly excited Mabel. While they had been gone, Mabel had gotten bored and was looking through things in the RV. While looking it seemed she had found the CB radio. She said she had heard someone talking, so she figured out how the machine worked and was able to speak with the person. He and Wendy also spoke with them... that had been the reason they had been trying to clear the tunnel. 

Sadly when they returned they had to tell the person that they couldn't leave the town through the tunnel. The people couldn't stay where they were for much longer. So the only outside communication was lost. Not before they had a chance to find out that everywhere seemed just as bad as it was where they were. The only difference was, he, Mabel and Wendy knew this town. That and for now, they seemed to be safe, for the moment. The person or persons, Dipper wasn't sure if there were more, no one had asked, didn't seem to be in a safe place, so maybe it was for the best that they couldn't make it through the tunnel.

He looked over to Mabel who was sleeping on the couch, Wendy had went to bed as well. Normally he and Mabel would be in their camper... but the reason he was up tonight, was something he had seen on one of the recorded tapes from the previous night. Something had been trying to get into the grave yard... and it wasn't acting like one of the infected. He looked at the five monitors that he had available, a mixture of computer monitors and TV's. There hadn't really been many options when it came to this stuff, so he took what he could... still he only had to switch two of the monitors to other cameras. He could always see most of the surrounding area to the graveyard. For now that would have to do. 

He'd been doing this for the past four nights trying to catch a glimpse of it again. If it turned out to be a smarter version of the infected... it needed to be dealt with. If it turns out to be a survivor, then they needed to know if the person was friend or foe. But so far every time he saw something, it turned out to be an animal of some kind when he investigated. 

His mind had been somewhere between awake and dozing off. His mind had started to sleep, though his eyes were open, when he noticed the movement on the monitor. This time he knew it wasn't an animal, he could clearly see a hand rubbing something against the bars. A file, he wondered. He hadn't bothered looking at the fence when he'd checked before. Could this be the same person that had cut the lock to the convenient store?

He looked over at his sleeping sister... should he wake her up? No, she'd just worry, he thought to himself as he cocked his gun. He'd handle this silently... hopefully. His first shot, would be the last one. And Wendy and Mabel wouldn't have a chance to worry. He walked quietly to the door of the RV. The only lights on coming from the monitors, and he wasn't about to turn on any others... if this was human, he wasn't going to let it know he knew it was out there. 

If it was human... what did they want? After the chain being cut, and now tampering with the fence... it seemed almost deliberate to lure the infected to where the trio were hidden. But until he knew for sure, he couldn't assume they were tampering with the fence... even though he was sure they were.

Slowly and quietly he made his way to the part of the fence where he saw the person. He still saw them. He drew his gun still moving as slow and quiet as he could. He could hear the scraping of a file against the wrought iron bars. This couldn't have been the person who cut the chain at the Dusk til Dawn. He knew that based on the muttered curses that they didn't see how this would ever cut through anything.

“Don't move.” Dipper said quietly putting the barrel against the top of the person's head. Again he didn't want to have to kill anyone that wasn't infected. But he wasn't about to take chances with Mabel or Wendy's lives.

“Alright... alright.” The voice was strangely familiar. 

“First. Were you the one that cut the chain on the Dusk til Dawn fence?” Again, he knew that this person wasn't the one that did... or he was at least fairly sure of the fact.

“No.” Again, the voice was familiar... but he couldn't place it. It was like... he knew it, but hadn't heard it in a long time, or hadn't heard it often.

“Second. Why are you cutting the fence?” A reasonable question at any time... more so now, that this fence didn't just protect the graveyard, it now protected the living... or a fraction of it.

“Hello, have you seen what's going on out here. I'm looking for a safe place.” Was it Tambry?

“Tambry?” When she looked up pulling the hood from her jacket off. It was indeed Tambry. “Quietly come around to the gate. We'll let you in.”

AVAVA  
( Wendy's PoV )  
VAVAV

“Wendy...” She rolled over and tried to ignore the person calling her. “Wendy I need you to come outside and help open the gate.”

Open the gate? That phrase caused her to sit up, sleep being the last thing on her mind now. Why would Dipper want to open the gate in the middle of the night? 

“Tambry was the one I saw on the cameras. So I need you to either move the truck, or watch out for the infected while the gates are open.” Wendy had already gotten out of bed. She'd already put on her shoes and her jacket, and grabbed her hat on the way out of the room to follow Dipper.

She had assumed that Tambry had died in all this mess. Actually, she had been fairly certain that most of the people that she knew were dead. So it was a little shocking to see Tambry standing at the gate behind the truck as Dipper got into it. She stood there with her gun raised in case infected people tried getting in... though she didn't think it was needed. The last few times that they'd gone out they'd seen less and less of the infected... but better safe than sorry. Once the truck was moved, she used the key to unlock the chain, then opened the gate just enough for Tambry to get in, before closing, and locking the chain around it again. Then waited for Dipper to back the truck back up against the gate again before turning to Tambry.

She wasn't sure what to say to Tambry... though before she could say anything the slightly younger teen ran up to Wendy and wrapped her arms around her. Muffled, sobbed, words came out of her mouth, and Dipper was of no use. But all she could make out of it was that there was another group of survivors... could be more, but Tambry only knew for sure about one. Robbie and a few others had taken over the police station. So Dipper had made the right call about the police station, she thought.

“Here,” Dipper had made Tambry a plate of what they had had for dinner, Mabel still slumbered away on the couch.

“Thanks,” Tambry said softly before eating with vigor. It made Wendy wonder how long it had been since the other girl had eaten. “It's been a couple weeks since I've had anything that wasn't junk food... and nothing since a couple days ago.”

“Why not?” Wendy asked, they'd been sure not to take all the foods from the store, just in case others needed it.

“Robbie... All he was worried about was junk food, video games, movies, and useless stuff.” Tambry finally said after she finished eating. Yeah that sounded like Robbie. “And most of the ammo that they found is gone.”

“Gone?” Dipper asked quietly as to not wake Mabel.

“Yeah, the idiots went hunting in the woods... I tried telling them it was stupid with all those things out there. But they ended up losing three people, and most of the ammo because they dropped most of it.” Tambry also trying to keep her voice down, but was clearly aggravated. “I didn't know it was you guys in the RV and trucks that went by. When food started running out, I figured I'd try to come here.”

“Well if it's alright with Dipper and Mabel. I don't have a problem with you being here.” Wendy said putting Tambry's plate in the sink.

“I don't mind, and I'm sure Mabel won't either. But Robbie can't come here, the other idiots either. They won't come here and waste what we have.”

AVAVA

A couple days had passed, and Wendy noticed that Tambry was a lot of help around the 'base'. She kept Mabel company when her and Dipper went out gathering more supplies. Originally they'd left the meats and foods for the other survivors. But now that a couple more weeks had passed and nothing had been touched, they decided to take it rather than have it spoil. While she knew the canned food wouldn't spoil... still. It would be a shame if it just sat there collecting dust. Because Robbie was too stupid to take it. What did she ever see in Robbie?

“You alright?” Dipper's voice had brought her back to reality. She had been wondering a lot lately about things. Mostly about how much of an idiot she had been in the past with her boyfriend selection. Why couldn't she ever find a nice guy that would treat her right? “Here let me get that for you.”

“Sorry, I have a lot on my mind.” Wendy muttered when Dipper took the box of canned food out of her hands. Someone that's sweet and kind... and didn't only want her for one thing.

“With infected people that appear to be zombies... though I'm still not calling them zombies... having to hide in a graveyard... and basically stealing everything we have... I'd be concerned if you didn't have a lot on your mind.” Dipper laughed slightly and carried the box out to the truck.

She watched after Dipper, her mind listing the many qualities she should have been looking for. And one by one her mind started clicking each one of those qualities, with the boy named Dipper. Well not a boy now... he was sixteen... so a young man? Young adult? Anyways... she'd know about his boy crush on her when he was younger. Still it would have been awkward. Twelve and sixteen? Like Twenty and sixteen was any better.

She tried to ignore the little voice in her head, that was telling her Dipper is the guy she should have been looking for, and went back to packing more food... this time mainly candy. It wasn't useful so much, but it kept Mabel happy. And keeping Mabel happy was important, because Happy Mabel, meant Happy Dipper.

AVAVA  
( Mabel's PoV )  
VAVAV

She watched as an arrow pierced the target on the other side of the graveyard. She didn't hit the mark she had been aiming for, but it at least hit the target this time. She was sure that she could hit the target with enough practice, but she wasn't sure she'd be able to kill one of the infected with it. Okay, so she'd killed a couple of them when they almost got Dipper. But that was more from fear, and sheer luck. Dipper wanted her to be able to use a weapon if it was needed. But she didn't want to waste the ammo they had, even if Dipper told her they now had plenty.

“Hey what are you doing?” Tambry asked coming around the corner. Truth be told, she wasn't too happy about Tambry staying with them. She didn't really like the other girl all the much in the past. She seemed self-absorbed and just plain mean. But without her phone... and having to update something online every ten seconds. Tambry was actually a nice person, and was helpful. Most importantly, there was someone to talk to when Dipper and Wendy were out getting supplies, and more gas for the generators. 

“Trying to use this bow.” Mabel said as she nocked another arrow and took aim. This time the arrow made it closer to the mark on the target, but still not close enough. How did people do this with so much speed. She had to focus and aim, and it felt like it took her forever to do it.

“Wow that was awesome.”

“Would have been better if I actually hit what I was aiming at.” Mabel muttered.

AVAVA

 

Lunch had been cooked shortly after Dipper and Wendy came back. And everything had been put away. Dipper of course had to recalculate everything based on the fourth person in the group. And the food wouldn't make it quite as long.

Dipper had brought up the idea of hunting. No one liked the idea, except Dipper. But Dipper did raise a good point in the matter. Winter was coming, and they'd need food to survive it. They'd need bottled water in-case the water lines froze in the winter. He had a point... but not only could there be infected... but Robbie could be out there with a gun, ready to shoot anything that moved.

“Hey Dip” She called as she walked into the little camper where their rooms were. He was cataloging other things at the moment.

“Hey Mabs.” He'd become a lot calmer since leaving Dusk til Dawn, and since he found out what had been lurking around the gates had been nothing more than Tambry. Though he still watched the recordings of the cameras, because whomever it was that cut the chains might still be out there. Or they might have ended up zombie chow by now.

“Need any help there, Broseph?” She wanted to hang around him more... but she knew things were hectic right now. During winter, they'd have nothing but time. They wouldn't go out for supply runs hardly... that was the main reason he was doing it now.

Winter itself wasn't that far off. Dipper had said they could start seeing snow any day now. Snow that would leave them trapped in the graveyard, unless they went somewhere by foot. Normally when they spent holidays here, the roads would have been cleared... but there wouldn't be anyone plowing the streets anymore. And traveling in the snow would be dangerous by foot.

“Actually I just finished. But maybe me and you can make a run out to the video store. See if those idiots left anything good.” Mabel just looked at him... what did he want with movies? “You want to spend all winter doing nothing? I mean it'll be too cold to do anything outside. So we'll be stuck inside most of the time.”

“Point taken. So just us?”

“Like old times. You know... except the threat of something trying to eat us.” They both laughed despite the fact that... it could happen, they could be eaten.


	4. Bullets, and Gummy Bears

AVAVA  
( Mabel's PoV )  
VAVAV

Mabel had to admit that the day spent with her brother had been one of the best in a long time. Maybe it was the fact that they'd had been so concerned with everything else that they just hadn't had the chance to spend time together. Dipper had only just started being up during the day, so that allowed more contact between the two. But even that had been limited with Dipper's daily tally on everything in the 'base', which she knew was important. She did. But she needed time with her brother. He was all she had left, that she knew of. 

They couldn't get in contact with their parents, and had stopped trying. Dipper hadn't out and out told her this, but Mabel had over heard him talking to Wendy. He told the older teen that it was better to go ahead and mourn their passing now, to soften the blow later. She knew that he wasn't being cold. She knew that he didn't want their parents to be dead. But the chances of them surviving was slim to none. She'd cried herself to sleep a couple of nights the week before. And it still hurt knowing her parents were more than likely dead, but it didn't hurt quite so much. Maybe the ache would always be there.

Currently her and her twin were looking through the video store. Plenty had been left by the other group. Robbie's group. Seriously, who would follow that idiot, she wondered to herself. She'd never really liked the older boy. Yeah she had helped him when Wendy dumped him, but only because she liked people to be happy. It was nothing to do with him in general. Mabel was just a helpful person by nature.

If it wasn't for the lack of customers, the fact that no one was behind the counters, or that some movies had been thrown around, she would have assumed it was just an average day. That nothing had happened that had risked humanity. But those reasons, and the fact that her brother had a gun holstered on his hip kept her planted in reality.

“So what do you think Mabel?” Dipper called from in front of her. She'd almost filled up her duffel bag with movies, and series shows... and candy... but she wouldn't mention that. She already had plenty of candy back at the 'base' but more candy couldn't hurt right?

“Um... maybe a few more. I mean we can always come back later... maybe. But I think we have enough to start with.” Between the two of them, they probably had more than a hundred movies alone, not counting the series shows. They gathered several games after Dipper managed to find a game system. It wouldn't be all fun and games... but they really needed something to pass the time during the winter. 

“Yeah. We can. But I mean, we have enough for now right?” Since the duffel bags were full, and each had been dumped in the back of the SUV twice, she'd say they had more than enough. “Alright, go ahead and start the SUV, I'll be right there.”

“You got it Broski.” She got into the drivers seat and started the SUV. When she heard a loud noise. Did the SUV Backfire? She wondered to herself, until she heard it again. Gun fire. 

“Mabel... Go back... Now!” She heard Dipper from inside the store. She was about to protest, when he continued. “Get Wendy, and bring weapons!”

Stupid, she thought to herself. There had been less infected, so only Dipper brought his gun, and maybe a few clips. The gunshots were not from him... they weren't from... She looked in the side view mirror seeing people, not the infected creatures running towards the back of the SUV.

“GO NOW!” Dipper shouted, and started firing at the people running towards her. “PLEASE!”

She put it in gear and stomped on the gas, heading towards the graveyard. She didn't want to leave Dipper... but she needed to get weapons... Dipper couldn't handle all them by himself. 

“Wendy!” She practically yelled into the walkie-talkie that Dipper had found in one of the hunting stores. She didn't wait for an answer, “Get the guns ready... I'm coming back. Someone's shooting at Dipper... Open the gate!”

“Wendy's opening the gate now,” Tambry's voice came over the device. Obviously Wendy hadn't wasted time to answer. Which was good.

By the time Mabel had gotten to the 'base', Wendy was standing outside it with a duffel bag, the same one she had used the first day. A rifle hung over her shoulder and a hand-gun in her hand. Tambry was locking the padlocks on the gate with just a hand-gun in her hand. No time was wasted as they quickly hurried into the SUV, and Mabel hit the gas again, the tires kicking up the gravel under them, and she made her way back to the road, that would take her back to Dipper.

AVAVA

When they got there, Dipper was no where in sight. Three bodies laid in the street. Mabel assumed when Dipper was firing at the people coming at her, he must have hit a couple. But still there were more than three. But there was no sign of Dipper. Tambry confirmed that the three bodies on the ground were people from Robbie's group. Which meant... Robbie either had Dipper for some reason, or had killed him. 

Inside the video store there was another two bodies. Neither belonging to Dipper, which Mabel was grateful. But still she was worried that he brother was no where to be found.

What were they going to do? 

Dipper was the one that held everything together. She had to find him.

 

They searched until the sun started to go down, and no sign of Dipper. The even used the scope of the rifle to watch the police station... Wendy had saw Robbie, and he had looked angry. Which Wendy told her it was a good sign. If he was angry, he didn't get what he wanted... which mean he didn't get Dipper. Right?

AVAVA  
( Dipper's PoV )  
VAVAV

Dipper hadn't been given much choice after he'd forced his sister to leave. She was unarmed, and she needed to go. He only hoped that once she got to the base, Wendy wouldn't let her come back. He'd done all he could to save his sister. Including sacrificing himself so she could live.

“Just because I'm sacrificing myself for her... doesn't mean I'm going down without a fight,” he said to himself before standing up from behind a shelf. His first two shots were beyond lucky. He hadn't even heard the two people enter the video store. His body moved on almost instinct as he raised his gun while the two were shocked, and fired off two shots. One bullet hit one of them in the chest, and the other found it's home in a boy's skull. Both about his age. It sicken him, but it was survive or die, wasn't it? 

A sudden calm came over him as he ejected the empty clip and slapped another in. On his way out he grabbed the automatic rifle that one of them had, and checked their pockets grabbing two clips. And then grabbed the hand-gun off the other one. He wasn't afraid as he walked out of the video store. A shot fired, and he felt the air shift past his head. He pulled the trigger of the rifle, and everyone ran. Except the three that fell to the ground.

Then just as fast as the sudden calm came, it left again as he heard yells to get him. He didn't wait around to see how many more were going to come around, he should have asked Tambry just how many people Robbie had with his group. Once he saw the first person round the side of one of the buildings, his fight or flight switch flipped to flight mode. And he ran. He heard shots coming from behind him. And felt something burn into his left arm, but he continued running.

AVAVA

He passed infected, businesses, and houses while he ran. He ran as far as he legs would take him. When he finally did stop running he found himself alone in the woods. He didn't hear anything around him, other than animal life. No shouting, no running, no moans or groans from infected. At least that was good. Having to fight against infected or Robbie's group, would only attract the other. Only issue was, that he didn't exactly know where he was. He was used to the woods and forest around the Shack. And the only way he knew out of this one, was the way he had come.

He spotted what looked to be a little building off of one of the streams that ran through gravity falls. The building had a large wheel that turned with the moving water. Dipper's only guess was that it generated electricity for part of the area. 

“This or nothing,” he though aloud as he pushed the door open, then closed as he entered. There wasn't much in the old building. A table and a couple of chairs sat in one corner. A door against the back wall, no doubt leading to the machinery on the other side. A hearth against one of the side walls, and an over head light. 

One he managed to catch his breath, he noticed a few things. One, he hadn't realized just how cold he was until just now, and that it seemed to being getting colder. He found a couple pieces of fabric, and caught them on fire, using them to start a fire in the hearth, using the old logs that lay next to it. Moving the logs had been when he noticed another thing that seemed to be wrong. His left arm hurt, now that his adrenaline had started wearing off. He mainly used his right arm to get the fire going. He knew the fire might attract Robbie and the others, but he also knew if he didn't get any heat... he might freeze to death. Winter had come already, it just hadn't snowed yet.

He drug the chair from the table to beside the hearth, positioning it so while he was near the fire, he could also see the only entrance and exit. Then made to examine his arm. He took off his jacket, then his shirt. And his breath caught in his throat when he went to feel his arm. He could only see the exit wound in the front of his arm. But that was good right? It meant the bullet wasn't in his arm, and that it didn't hit the bone. Added to the fact that he'd just ran here without bleeding to death, no arteries were hit. He started getting dizzy as after he tied part of his shirt around the wound.

He looked though the bag he had carried from the video store. Mabel must have dropped it, he thought. He didn't even remember picking it up. But it had to be Mabel. The candy and soda hidden inside had to be from her. This time though, he was actually grateful for her sugar addiction. While he wasn't bleeding to death, a good amount has soaked into his jacket, and the sugars would help.

He consumed part of a box of the candy, and half a soda after he'd tossed a few more logs on the fire. He felt himself falling from the chair shortly after he'd eaten. But everything had went black just before he hit the ground.

AVAVA  
( Wendy's PoV )  
VAVAV

Wendy sat in the RV watching Mabel sleep on the couch. It had been two days since Dipper disappeared. After staking out the police station, they knew that Robbie didn't have Dipper, because Robbie was livid that he'd managed to get away. That was the good news. The bad news however... Dipper had been hit.

“So what do you think Wendy?” Tambry asked her, then sat across from her at the table.

“About what?” He voice was almost monotonic. She didn't know what they should do. All the ideas they'd had. Everything designed to keep them safe, had all been Dipper. Yeah she knew the town better than Dipper. But she wouldn't have thought to raid the houses of the hunters she'd known. She wouldn't have thought to get the RV, or generators. Nor would she have ever, ever though about using the graveyard as a base.

“Dipper, do you think he's alright?” Tambry had been concerned along with her and Mabel, because Dipper had decided to help that night instead of killing her. She had also mentioned that if the roles were reversed, Robbie would have shot anyone first, without bothering to ask questions.

“I have to believe he's alright. Okay, so he's been shot. But he got away right?” She didn't want to think about him bleeding out there, with those infected things running about. Could they smell blood? Or did they only attack things that moved? Would they hear his whimpering? And from the looks of the place when they showed up... she doubted her had little ammo left, if he even had any. “We've only gotten this far because of him. And if he is alright... lets hope that mentally he's alright.”

“Mentally?”

“Yeah, because not only did he have to kill Stan... but from the looks of it, he also had to kill five people. And it's all my fault. Because I told him it was survive or die. That we'd have to do things that we might not want to do.”


	5. Lost, and Found

AVAVA  
( Wendy's PoV )  
VAVAV

In the couple of days that Dipper had been gone, she'd noticed a considerable change in Mabel. For one, when she and Tambry were going to go search for Dipper, Mabel had told Tambry to stay and let her got out and help find Dipper. Wendy had watched how Mabel had put on one of her brother's gun holsters, and shouldered a rifle. A rifle, that in the last two days, Mabel had seemed to become very familiar with.

Second, during these searches, the squeamish girl that had been present only a few days before, seemed all but gone. The girl was no marksmen with her weapons, but she took out infected without blinking. Just a hard emotionless face where a soft and kind one once had been. Wendy had always known that Mabel needed to let go of some of her child-like qualities if she had hoped to survive, but this was too much. She had tried talking to the younger girl only once. And it didn't turn out too well.

AVAVA  
( Day after Dipper was lost )  
VAVAV

Mabel had of course been upset at the fact that her twin brother was missing. Who wouldn't be upset at that fact? Wendy of course was worried about her family, but she assumed they were dead. Mabel knew Dipper had survived the outbreak. He had been with her. Hell Wendy knew that Dipper was the only reason either of them were still alive. And now he was missing. Had been shot. Could be dead or dying. The temperature had dropped.

“You know we'll find him right Mabel?” Wendy put her hand on the Mabel's shoulder. “If he's alive, we'll find...”

“He's alive.” Mabel snapped at her. Completely out of character for the brunette. “He's alive, and we'll find him. Then I'll find him.”

AVAVA  
( Wendy's PoV )  
VAVAV

Wendy didn't need to think hard about who 'him' refereed to. It was Robbie... even if Robbie hadn't been the one to pull the trigger that hurt her brother, Mabel would hold him responsible. And God help them all, If Dipper didn't make it. She knew that Mabel didn't think her brother was dead. But she didn't want to think about what Mabel might do if she lost her twin. Being afraid of Mabel... that was something the older teen would have never thought about. But she'd often heard... a person with nothing to lose, is a person that is the most dangerous. And without Dipper... Mabel Pines had nothing else to lose.

“Come on,” Mabel's voice pulled her out of her thoughts. They were out looking again for Dipper, and she knew that Mabel would come out every day until she found Dipper, no matter if it took years. 

“Coming.” Mabel had thought of something this morning, that they hadn't thought of before. And currently they were looking for clues to her hunch. If they had shot Dipper, then there would be...

“Found it!” Mabel said kneeling on the road. Her hand almost caressing the ground. When Wendy came up beside her, she could see what she had found. A blood trail. “It has to be him, it's leading away from the police station.”

Mabel was right, if one of Robbie's group had of been injured, he would have gone back to their 'base' So this had to be Dipper... at least she hoped it was. It better be, she thought as she followed Mabel, as Mabel followed the blood trail. 

They followed it until it ended at the grass leading to the woods. Mabel and Wendy looked at each other. Wendy wasn't entirely sure she wanted to go in there, but Mabel looked determined to enter. Mabel explained that the blood trail seemed to go in a straight line up to this point. That Dipper would more than likely try to move in a straight line... and that maybe they'd find more blood, which seemed impossible. Since dried blood would look the same color brown as the leaves. 

Inside the wooded area, it was a bit darker, and Wendy was sure, that they wouldn't spot anything in the dark. Until Mabel stopped and took off her back pack, she pulled out a spray bottle, and what looked to be a black light. Mabel walked a few feet spraying the bottle on the ground, then flipped the switch on the black light. Sure enough, within the area Mabel had sprayed two more drops appeared.

“What the hell?” Wendy asked looking down at the visible black spots.

“Dipper always had this thing about hotel rooms. He carried this in his back-pack, this back-pack.” Mabel touched the bag gently. “I was looking through it this morning, and got the idea. The black light shows body fluids when you spray it with Luminol. He went this way.”

AVAVA  
( Mabel's PoV )  
VAVAV

Mabel was sure that she had never been as excited as she was at that moment, as the followed the trail of her brother's blood. Okay so the trail of his blood was disturbing, but it would lead her to him. And she needed him. She needed her brother, because how else were they supposed to survive without him? She couldn't lead this group. Yeah, okay so, she had remembered this black light trick... but that was only one thing. Her bother was the brains. She just remembered this because he didn't want to sleep on soiled sheets in a hotel. And she only remembered it because she'd found it and remembered him constantly doing it... and happened to find what she could only assume was... semen. She hadn't wanted to know.

Mabel stopped a moment and looked at the dried blood on the ground. He had stood there a moment. She looked around as Wendy caught up to her, and she noticed a building not far off close to the river. With smoke coming out of the chimney. 

“This way,” Mabel said quietly. And heard Wendy following her.

AVAVA  
( Dipper's PoV )  
VAVAV

Dipper leaned against the stone hearth after having tossed the last chair on the fire. He'd kept the fire going for three days? Four days? He couldn't remember how long he'd been there. He'd eaten just about all the candy Mabel had taken from the store, and the soda was gone. He had lost blood, and the sugars would help with that... or was helping. Now that it was almost completely gone, he didn't know what else to do. Every time he stood up, he became nauseated. Could be from lack of blood, or could be from a three day sugar diet. He wasn't sure.

He heard foot steps across the wooden porch of the building. He grabbed the automatic rifle, and pointed it to the door. The moment the person stepped in, he was going to just unload the clip. I'll be damned if they think I'm going without a fight, he thought to himself as he heard them get closer to the door.

“Dipper?” A voice called from beyond the door. He knew that voice. He should have known she wouldn't have stayed at the base.

“Mabel?” His voice was low, he barely heard it. But he lowered the rifle, as the door opened. 

“Dipper!” Mabel had ran to him and dropped down beside him. His Mabel, his twin. “I knew you were alive.”

“I'm sorry.” He whispered, she just looked at him confused. He smiled best he could. “I ate... all of your candy.”

Then everything went dark.

AVAVA

Dipper awoke some time later. He was laying on the couch in the RV. Had it all just been a dream, he wondered has he sat up, pain running through his arm. Nope, nope, nope, not a dream, he thought as his hand ran up his left arm, feeling the bandages. What happened?

He got up looking around. No one was in the RV with him. He got up and instantly regretted it, as his lurched. Instead of looking for people, his first priority was looking for food that wasn't candy. Which wasn't hard to find, since it seemed, someone had left him lunch on a plate, on the table... maybe it was for him... didn't matter, it was his now. He thought as he grabbed the sandwich, quickly eating it. 

He took a moment to sit down to collect himself, and to get his head to stop spinning a moment. He flexed his left hand out, and curled it into a fist. No loss of feeling, that was good. Which he hoped meant there was no nerve damage. Didn't matter he shot with his right, and as long as his left could put a new clip in, he didn't care. Then he thought about the last time he'd exchanged clips. He'd ended five people's lives... human people... not infected human people. 

Did that make him as bad as the infected? No that made him worse than the infected. At least the infected were insane, they didn't seem to know what they were doing, on a intellectual level anyways. Killing people just because they were in the way? They were not just in the way... they would have killed me, he told himself. They would have killed Mabel. He put his head down on the table and sighed.

AVAVA  
( Mabel's PoV )  
VAVAV

 

Dipper had been sleeping semi peacefully when she left the RV. She and Wendy had managed to pretty much carry him from where he was, and of course the bag of movies. She wanted to leave them. She could replace them easily. But Dipper, maybe due to dehydration or blood-loss, demanded that they take them, since he's risked his life grabbing them. A failed attempt at a joke she assumed... then again maybe he just wasn't thinking right. Even though he walked with them supporting him, Mabel had the impression that he wasn't actually there. It was like his mind was limited.

Luckily, Tambry had some medical knowledge. Knew what needed to be done, and what couldn't be done to the open wound. She cleaned the wound the best she could with alcohol and something she wasn't quite sure what. Then she bandaged him up. And all Mabel could think about, was that she was glad Dipper was out for the count... because it looked like it hurt, and she didn't even want to know what it felt like when the alcohol was poured on it.

Now that Dipper was back, she supposed that she was supposed to go back to how she normally was. How she normally acted... no. She couldn't yet. Robbie was still out there. It was because of him that her brother almost died. She could not, would not let that go.

The weirdest thing about the entire ordeal, had to be when she walked out of the bathroom, and found Wendy talking almost too quietly for her to hear... to an unconscious Dipper. Mabel had about gagged. Wendy of all people muttering little gooey things to her brother. Jeez, the whole world was falling apart, and now... now the girl decided to notice her brother.

“Hey, it looks like Dipper is awake.” she turned to Wendy who was now walking towards her. “I thought you should be the first person to talk with him. Since you are the reason he's here.”

“Alright, Thanks Wendy.” Mabel passed Wendy, with a smile and continued towards the RV.


	6. Regrets, and Kisses

She thought she could feel a piece of her heart shift back into place as she walked into the RV, and saw Dipper sitting at the table, staring at her. There he was, her Dipping Sauce, her Dipster, her broseph. Dipper. Before she found the black-light she had just about given up hope on finding her brother. She hadn't wanted to give up, but there hadn't been much choice. But she didn't have to give up.

“Heya Broseph!” She wrapped her arms around him once she got close enough. “Geez you need a bath, you reek.”

“Not smelling so fresh there either sis.” His grip on her tightened though. He'd missed her. “I was scared Mabs. I thought I was done for.”

“The whole being shot thing? Pfft, not you. You'd have figured something out even if we didn't show up.” She didn't know if that was true or not, but she didn't want to wound his pride.

“Getting shot? No. I thought you were going to kill me for eating all your candy.” He released her, and smiled. 

“Enough about the candy. It wasn't important.” It hadn't been, not when her brothers life had been at stake.

“No? Well I sure think it was. It was what kept me alive. Without it, I don't think my body would have been able to produce more blood fast enough. But okay enough with the jokes. I was scared I'd never see you again. I was scared something would happen to you if I wasn't here to protect you.” he chuckled again and pulled her into another hug. “But it looks like you've grown up while I was gone. Risking life and limb for me.”

“It wasn't me that found you. It was your spray and black-light that found you.” She watched Dipper raise his eyebrow. “Yes yes, I did listen to you. And I remembered it.”

“Well I'm glad I was so strange.” He yawned, even though he'd slept a long while she could tell he was tired. Tambry said that for the first couple of days he would be tired while the bullet wound was healing.

“You should get some more sleep Dip.” She helped him up.

“You know it was my arm that was shot. Not my legs.” Though he still allowed her to lead him out of the RV That Tambry and Wendy were using. 

Tambry was tossing wood on a fire close to where she and Wendy were sorting stuff on a table. Must have been to keep warm while outside. Tambry waved when she noticed her and Dipper coming out. Of course Dipper had to stall. Nothing changed, he always stalled when he was supposed to be going to sleep. At least he was acting normal. 

Mabel had worried about the five bodies they had found in and around the video store. That he would have broken down about it. Or maybe he just didn't want to deal with it yet. Or he was holding up a strong front for the group. That was Dipper, holding everything inside. Trying to shield her. She loved her brother for that, but she also wanted to shake him and scream, 'You don't have to bare everything on your own. We can help.' But she knew he brother. He would just change the subject.

AVAVA  
( Dipper's PoV )  
VAVAV

He sat at the makeshift table that Wendy and Tambry were at. Currently they were doing an inventory of bullets, batteries, and the like. They managed to find a few walkie-talkies with rechargeable batteries while he had been gone. Those would have come in handy, he thought to himself. If he had of had one of them, he wouldn't have been out in that shack for four days. Now he would make sure each one of them carried one when they left the graveyard, and leave one behind. He knew the CB Radio could pick up the walkie's signal, but still better safe than sorry.

“How's the arm Dipper?” he looked up to Wendy, and he smiled best he could. 

“It's alright.” It hurt like hell, but he wasn't going to tell her that. What could she do anyways. He wished he had a painkiller of some kind. In fact it might be good to have some antibiotics stored up... actually now that he thought about it, he really should be taking some now, so his arm doesn't get infected. “But I was thinking about going out to get some antibiotics, maybe some penicillin. The pharmacy might have some.”

“I was thinking the same thing.” Tambry said softly. He'd noticed before he had left, that Tambry wasn't a very loud person. Maybe because she hardly ever talked, she had mainly used social media, and didn't actually talk. “Maybe me and Wendy could go. I haven't actually been out yet.”

“I can go get them.” He said, picking up his belt with gun holster on it. He growled when he couldn't get the belt on.

“No can do Broseph.” Mabel came up behind him. “You haven't even been awake long. And you still need to rest.”

“I don't want to rest. I can't close my... I- I'm just not tired right now.” He hesitated... he wasn't supposed to hesitate. He couldn't... he needed to be strong for them.

“Alright, then you can help me make something for dinner. If they are going to get you meds, I need some help. Think of it as a safe way for us to finish spending time together.” Mabel just smiled at him. But all he heard was that she didn't think he could do it anymore. Maybe he couldn't. “And the Pharmacy is no where near the police station, so they'll be alright. We need you to get better, so you can go back to saving our butts.”

“She's right Dip, we don't know anything about those cameras, or how to fix any of the generator stuff. Heck, we can't tell which bullets go to which gun by only looking at them.” It was true. Wendy was a better shot then him, but he knew which weapons were which. He had no choice but to agree.

AVAVA

Him and Mabel had just finished preparing dinner, as the girls called on the walkie, that they were almost at the gate. Mabel had decided on steaks, mainly because she thought that he needed more iron. He had to agree since he'd had lost a lot of blood. That and he liked it.

So everyone was back safe and sound, his stomach was full, and not full of candy. For the first time in days he didn't feel queasy. Mabel was fast asleep in her bed, in their camper, and had been for an hour or longer. But he just couldn't get to sleep. Every time he closed his eyes all he could see were the people he'd killed. It wasn't guilt, not completely. He had done what he had to do. If he didn't, they would have killed him. And with Robbie leading them, there was no way to tell how many had already died, because of the psychotic teen.

Finally he just kicked off his blankets left the camper. He walked over to where they normally kept a fire going, and sat in one of the chairs they had around it. He wanted to start a fire, but he wasn't sure if it would attract any unwanted attention. He still didn't know if Robbie knew they were in the graveyard or not. Since it hadn't been attacked, he could assume that it hadn't been found. But a fire would give away the location. Not that they were actually hiding. An RV, and a camper, along with two vehicles parked in a graveyard wasn't really hiding. But still it was better safe than sorry.

He wondered if Mabel knew what he'd done. Did Wendy? Why did it matter if Wendy knew or not? It wasn't like the older teen had ever been interested in his life. Sure, she'd offered advice since all this started, but that was because they were on their own now.

“Couldn't sleep?” Wendy's voice cut through the silence as she came up, and sat in one of the other chairs. “Yeah I know, I couldn't sleep either. I mean, you're back now. It was kind of anticlimactic. No insane gunfights. Don't get me wrong. I'm glad you're safe. But all day I've had this built up energy, now it's just hard to sleep. And Tambry... well she turns into a log at night. Wish it was that easy for me.”

“Yeah. Sleeping would be nice. I mean I'm tired, but I just can't sleep.” He couldn't tell her why. They wouldn't trust him to protect them anymore. “I guess I'm worked up too.”

“Is it about those guys?” She asked him, and he felt his body tighten up.

AVAVA  
( Wendy's PoV )  
VAVAV

Wendy watched his body tense up, and knew that she had been right. She was horrified that she had been right. She wasn't horrified that Dipper had killed five people. Well at one point she would have been, but now... this was her fault that he'd done it. She told him that it was survive or die. But she'd meant about the infected. She didn't even consider that they would run across other hostile survivors. But she still thought what he did was the right thing. Him and Mabel were minding their own business. And they attacked first, Dipper had no choice but to defend himself. Not if he wanted to live.

“Look I don't blame you Dipper. I mean, you didn't have a choice. They attacked you. Without warning. What were you supposed to do?” She had been watching him, his head hung low. Maybe he had just been trying to forget it happened. But he couldn't do that. If he tried to bottle it up... it would explode out of him one day.

“It wasn't even me.” She didn't understand what he meant, maybe he knew she didn't, because he continued. “It was like my body moved on it's own. I wasn't scared, or angry, or anything. After I was sure Mabel was gone, I came up from behind the counter, and killed two people. Without a second thought, I took their weapons... and just pulled the trigger on that rifle, and three more people were gone. They were my age.”

Survivors Guilt. He felt guilty because they were dead, and he was alive. He shouldn't feel that way. It wasn't like he gunned them down. It was defense. What he described about not feeling anything, could have only been fight or flight. Like and auto-pilot when you have no other choice... or too many choices. Your body takes over, and you become hyper aware of everything around you.

“Yeah, they were your age. And it's horrible that they are dead. But Dipper...” she put her hand on his shoulder. He flinched when she touched his shoulder. Did he expect her to hurt him? “Dipper look at me.”

When he finally looked up at her, the tears in his eyes told her that he wasn't a killer. That he didn't do this, just to do it. Not that she had been worried. Dipper just wasn't that kind of person. “Dipper, they were your age. And they had a choice. They could have told Robbie no. But they decided to try to kill you and Mabel. They chose to die.”

“I just wish there had of been another way.” His hand came up to rest on hers, that was on his shoulder. He wanted, needed, comfort. Something his sister couldn't give him. Because he would be too stubborn to let her know it was bothering him. Maybe because he knew his absence alone, had changed her too much. She moved from her chair to kneeling in front of him, finding it funny, in a cute way, that he was still so short, even as sixteen. 

“I do too Dipper.” he leaned forward and put his head on her shoulder. She knew Dipper used to crush on her... who didn't? But Dipper was never... what the word... affectionate? Emotional? Brazen? Actually, maybe it wasn't any of them, Dipper was shy.

“Right before it all started, I thought I'd end up dead. Which is why I sent Mabel away. Then after, I thought I was going to die. So I didn't think about what I was going to do, or what I had done. I didn't expect to still be alive.” 

That didn't shock her. He seemed like the type that would sacrifice himself for others. If his death meant their lives would be saved, he'd do it. That's what scared her, because honestly. She didn't think they would survive long without him. He knew about things they didn't. It was a selfish way to think about it... but they needed him. Besides, it was all her fault for telling him that stupid phrase.

“I'm just glad you're back.” She stroked his hair softly. She was really glad he was back. When he was gone, she realized that she had grown fond of him. More so than she ever imagined. He leaned back some and just stared at her. She could see the light from behind them shining in his eyes.

“You look beautiful in the moonlight.” She felt her cheeks heat up, and was glad it was dark. Was the boy still interested in her? Or was it because of his near death experience? He started leaning forward, and she shocked herself, by leaning in to meet him. Letting her lips brush against his, hesitant... almost as if testing it out. Then she captured his lips with hers, pushing him back into his chair. In most of her relationships she was always the more submissive one. It was thrilling to be the one in control.

Once they finally broke apart, she found herself sitting in his lap. Enjoying the body heat between them, that was combating the cold that had settled on the small town. If she ignored the fact that they were living in a camper and RV, that they were in a graveyard... in the middle of an apocalypse. Everything felt normal.

“Well...it's about time.” Mabel's voice cut through the silence, causing her and Dipper to jump. “it's only been like, what? Four years?”

Yeah, she thought, Normal.


	7. Creeps, and Shrieks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know. It's starting to look like Dipper has a harem. Though that isn't my intention. Just Gravity Falls isn't littered with male characters. I'll be introducing some OC's in the future, but I haven't finished working out personalities. So until then, you'll have Dipper, Wendy, Mabel, Tambry, and whoever I bring into the fray.
> 
> Again, I do not own Gravity Falls, nor it's characters, towns, or merchandise. I do own my desk. So there's that.

AVAVA  
( Dipper's PoV )  
VAVAV

It was the middle of the night, and Dipper had spent the last hour or so, tossing and turning in his bed. He just couldn't sleep. Not just from the nightmares that he had been having off and on, since he had returned to the camp. And even though, if he rolled over wrong, his arm hurt. But that wasn't the case tonight. Some would even believe the cause would be the fact that him and Wendy had grown quite a bit closer in the past few days... but even that wasn't exactly why he couldn't sleep. 

He just wasn't tired.

He sat up in his bed, and peered over at his sister's sleeping form. Her blanket kicked off, one of her legs dangled over the edge of the bed, while her arms spread out on the mattress. She obviously had no problems with sleeping tonight, he thought as he got up. He lifted her leg back onto the bed, and put the blanket over her again. It had gotten pretty cold in the past week, and while they had heating, the camper wasn't as insulated as the RV was, so he felt she needed her blanket.

He stretched, and felt his joints pop. He walked over to the refrigerator, opened it, and took out a can of soda. Yes, they were mainly Mabel's because Mabel loved her sugary things. It was a small comfort for her, one that he also thought that she should have. But even he liked to indulge once in a while. He grabbed a pair of his pants, and put them on over his boxers, put on his belt that carried his gun. Finally he grabbed his coat, before opening the door then closed it behind him.

He was met with refreshing cold air. He yawned slightly before making his way over to the fire pit. He tossed a couple logs into the fire pit, then leaned down to light it. Before, he had worried about someone seeing the fire and finding their camp. Though, he was actually sure that their camp was known about. It seemed that Robbie had sent a couple of people to scout it out, which were met with gunfire. They didn't kill the scouts. They just let them know, that the area was protected. Since no more came, he assumed Robbie was no longer interested. That or, he knew that he wouldn't be able to get into the Graveyard, not without risking his life. 

He warmed his hands by the fire and stretched. He heard a noise, and looked around the camp. He couldn't figure out what it was, could just be the wood crackling. Then heard someone scream for help, instantly his hand pulled his weapon. It was coming from the street that went past the graveyard. Once he grabbed a walkie-talkie from one of the tables, he made his way to the gate, that once allowed people to walk into the graveyard, other that the big gate. Until a few days ago, this gate had been chained completely shut. Now they had replaced the chains, but could use it instead of moving the truck to get out. He unlocked it, went out, and locked it behind him. 

“Someone, anyone! Help me please!” The voice was familiar to him, so it had to be someone that he knew, a female someone he knew. He walked passed the treeline, to see a female running down the street, being followed by an infected... all this over one infected? Then the infected laughed.

“Why you runnin' sweetheart?” It wasn't an infected. He couldn't know for sure, but he was sure this was one of the ones from Robbie's group. “Come on... I just want to play.” 

Dipper's jaw tightened as both of them drew nearer. There are literally people going insane, and attacking and eating people. And there are still idiots that are trying kidnap, and/or rape someone? Seriously, this world is twisted and sick. He cocked his weapon, as they drew nearer, she was about to run past him, as he stepped out from behind the treeline. The moment she noticed him, he thought she would run the other way. Instead she ran directly to him.

“Please. Help me.” She begged. Stupid girl. You have no idea who I am, and you come to me for help. What if I'm like him? What if I was part of his group.

“Hey guy.” The male had slowed down enough to see the gun in Dipper's hand.

“Hey.” Dipper offered coldly.

“I just want my friend there. So if you hand her over, I'll be on my way. Alright?” He... no, the monster spoke.

“Sure. If she wants to go, she'd free to. I'm not going to hold someone against their will.” The monster of a human smiled and took a step forward, then two hurried steps back when Dipper raised the gun and pointed it at his head. Dipper smiled, and he knew that whatever his face looked like, it was scary. “However, if she doesn't want to. She's not going to.”

“I don't want to go.” A small voice said behind him.

“She doesn't know what she's talkin' about. See, thing is. That's my sister, y'know. Kinda addle-brained without her medication. Which is hard to come by.” Did this idiot really think Dipper would fall for some T.V. Cliché line? Then the guy's face contorted in anger. “How how 'bout you just let me have her an no one gets hurt.”

Dipper stepped forward, causing the guy to take another step back, now his face was no longer in shadows. The guy took another step back, his face no longer looked angry, it looked frightened. 

“N-No freaking way! You're that guy! That o-one that killed five of our guys. Y-You're supposed to be dead.” 

“Guess that's why I live in a Graveyard. I'm dead.” He was tired of everything. This was what Robbie's group was about? Taking what they want, no matter who got hurt? Planning to do God knows what to this girl? Trying to kill him and Mabel for no reason? These people were scum. They deserved to die... but not by him. He'd done enough. “Forget it. This is your one chance. Don't come back here again.”

Dipper turned and started to lead the girl towards the gate. The guy behind him laughed. Then he heard a gunshot ring out in the night, echoing off buildings. Dipper froze, as did the girl. No pain. He felt no pain. And the girl was in front of him, and she seemed fine. Then what the hell?

“You okay Dip?” His head turned towards the voice. Wendy stood inside the fence, holding a rifle. He looked behind him, to see the guy laying on the ground, a gun not far from his hand. “He pulled a gun, so I fired.”

“Dipper?” The girl turned towards him, and he actually looked at her. Blonde hair, blue eyes. 

“Pacifica?” She looked like the life had been wrung out of her. Certainly not the heiress rich girl he'd known before. “C'mon, lets get you inside.”

AVAVA

“So, what happened back there?” Dipper asked once they had gotten Pacifica into the RV. Wendy had helped her clean up, and given her clean clothing to wear. And of course made sure the girl ate, since it didn't look like she had in a while. 

“Well I was up at the house when it happened. Mother and Father were away on vacation. So, I was home alone. I had sent the staff home early that night. When I woke up... I heard gunshots, and everything else going on in town, so I stayed up there. The TV was talking about some kind of infection thing before it cut out. Everyone on the internet was talking about it... talking about zombies and stuff. But it went out too. 

“So I stayed at the house, until I ran out of food. I came down tonight to find something, since I hadn't eaten since yesterday. That guy offered to help me. I was so happy. Someone was going to protect me... I mean. Usually, I'm mean to people... but I hadn't talked to anyone in a month, maybe two. How long has it been since this started?”

“About two months?” Dipper looked at Wendy who nodded in agreement.

“So I was happy to have someone to talk to, a real person.” She didn't look up from the table. “But then he started touching me, and it made me uncomfortable. So I told him. That's when he called me ungrateful, for not appreciating his help, or offer. Then when he insisted I come with him to where his friends were I ran.”

“And I guess, I can tell what happened from there. You ran across me.” She nodded. “So look. You can stay with us. It's not fancy or anything. But we have food, water, electricity.”

“It's okay... fancy or not... I can't go back. He knew I was from there. What if his friends knew too? It wouldn't be safe to go back.” Pacifica said.

“Well we'll be honest with you. It's not completely safe here. See the guy that leads that group out there. He's out to get me. Almost had me killed... almost succeeded. But I thought you should know before you made your choice.”

“I'll stay. It has to be safer here.” She said, “If that's okay.”

“We said it would be, we even offered.” Wendy spoke up. “But looks like we'll need to find you somewhere to sleep.” 

“She can sleep in my bed, I'll sleep on the couch either at the camper or here.” Dipper yawned, he hadn't been tired before, but he was now. “You'll be sharing a room with Mabel though.”

AVAVA  
( Mabel's PoV )  
VAVAV

Ahh, what a great night's sleep, Mabel thought as she stretched and looked over at the lump under the blanket of her brother's bed. Sleepy head, she thought to herself. Ever since they'd come to the Graveyard, and gotten the RV and Camper, Dipper had been sleeping in again. Not that she was complaining. She was happy that Dipper was sleeping in. It was something that was normal. And she needed normal, more than she needed anything else in the world.

She debated on jumping on her brother to wake him up, but he'd been having problems sleeping, so she thought she should let him rest. She got up, and grabbed a change of clothing. They normally used the shower in the RV, because it was bigger, but the camper did have a shower, and today she was going to use it. She didn't feel like walking through the cold to get to a shower.

She turned on the water, letting the it warm up while she get a drink from the fridge. Dipper strikes again, she mused as she noticed one of the soda's missing. So, he must have been up last night. Now, she was more than happy that she hadn't jumped on him. She looked out the window seeing Tambry and Wendy sitting around the fire. They probably had already made breakfast, or was about to.

Back in the bathroom she undressed tossing her dirty clothing into a basket that needed to be emptied. She wondered if Dipper could hook up a washing machine in the little building as she got under the stream of water. It would be much easier... and safer than the times they go to the river to wash them. It takes three people to do it. Two to wash, and one to stand guard. And worst of all, she'd lost three shirts to the river. She didn't want to lose more clothing.

Once she finished, dried off, then dressed, she made her way back to her bedroom, still drying her hair. She missed her blow dryer... maybe Dipper could find her one on the next outing. And thicker socks, the ones she had didn't seem to be fitting for how cold it got here. Much different from back home, even if it wasn't THAT far away.

“Ugh...” The lump on Dipper's bed groaned. It didn't sound like Dipper. Maybe he was getting a cold? 

“Hey Dip. You feeling alright?” She moved the towel away from her face, as the lump moved again, which pulled part of the blanket down, revealing blonde hair. Blonde? Okay so... maybe him and Wendy had gotten friendly... so she might MIGHT expect to see a redhead in Dipper's bed. But a blonde? More of the blanket moved revealing the person's face. “Pacifica!?”

“Ugh! Uh! Ahh!” Mabel has succeeded in scaring the blonde, which jumped and fell out of bed, but not before almost blowing out her ear drums with a sheirk.

“What happened?” Dipper's voice came seconds after she heard the camper's door open and close. “Oh... I guess I should have woken you up and let you know.”

“You think?” Mabel glared at her brother.

“Sorry, I didn't have anywhere else to go.” Pacifica apologizing, acting humble? Yep, it truly was the end of the world.

“No, it's alright Pacifica. Look you take a shower, borrow some of Mabel's clothes, we'll go out and get you some today. Alright?” Pacifica nodded, and Mabel just followed her brother out of the camper, past Wendy and Tambry, and into the RV, where it seems Dipper had been cooking breakfast.

“Alright, Broski. Explain.” She just looked at her brother, expecting... demanding an answer.

“Well it happened like this...” she listened to the story, retold by Dipper. And she felt a bit guilty for scaring Pacifica, and being mad that she was there. Okay, so she hadn't been mad, but she had been shocked and confused. However, she was peeved that no one bothered to tell her about the bed change. “So we couldn't throw her back out. I can't even imagine what that guy would have done to her.”

“Right... so we going to need another camper or something?” While they lived in a rural town, and a lot of people that lived here camped. Not many of them used RV's and Campers. They roughed it... which was good for a weekend, maybe a week. But forever? Na, she couldn't do that.

“Well I've been thinking about that. Pacifica's Mansion is big enough... but it's too big.” Mabel was about to ask what he meant when he continued. “To big for just five people to guard. Too many blind spots. So the few time's I've been out, I've been looking for fenced in houses. But there is one place I want to check out first. I remember passing it a few years ago. It's a big log cabin out in the woods, near the river. It doesn't have a metal fence, but there is a tall wooden fence. Plus it's out in the woods.”

“And because of the hunting accident Tambry mentioned, Robbie isn't too keen on going into the forest... I remember. But what about the zombies?” Mabel asked.

“Infected,” Dipper corrected, and she hated when he did that. Infected people died when you shot them in the chest. Zombies were dead... didn't die unless you shot them in the head. Zombies. “They would have to get past the fence, and I thought me and Wendy could set some traps for them, just in case.”

“You and Wendy huh?” Now that was a topic that she wanted to get into. Not much gossip around anymore... and this was juicy news. And she'd been dying to know ever since that lip-wrestling match she'd walked out on. Oh and just how cute was it that his blush covered his cheeks, ears, neck, and forehead? “So was it everything you imagined it to be?”

“Shut up Mabel!” Evasive? Oh no no no Dipper. Mabel needs to know.

“C'mon Dipper!” She whined... she really wanted to know. Of course she wanted to know, because, again, it was a juicy bit of gossip. And two, this was her twin, who had made out with the girl he was crushing on since he was twelve. And hello, she'd been around her brother forever. So she KNEW it was his first kiss. “I mean, she's bound to become my sister-in-law.”

“Mabel! That's thinking too far ahead... I mean we're just... trying something out.”

“Dip, c'mon. I mean, it's likely. Let's see, there's Pacifica... which neither of you get along... well maybe now... but I mean, I don't see you playing all lovey dovey.” His face showed he agreed with her. “Then there is Tambry, which we both know wouldn't work out.” He nodded. “Then you have me! Which you'd be damn lucky to get with me... but alas I'm your sister. Too bad for you. Which leaves... Wendy or the Zombies. Face it, brother of mine. Wendy's really the only choice. And even if she wasn't. This is Wendy. She's the BEST choice Broseph.”

“Yeah but really... sister-in-law? You're jumping way too far ahead.” Dipper said turning his attention back to cooking. Yeah... she wasn't going to get any more out of him this morning... maybe she could corner Wendy, and get her to spill all the, non-descriptive, details. She wanted to know... but she didn't need any, statistics on her own brother. Because well... she'd rather face a zombie with a toothbrush.

AVAVA  
( Wendy's PoV )  
VAVAV

It was more than funny to watch Dipper run into the camper when Pacifica shrieked. Wendy had been waiting for it to come, ever since she saw Mabel look out the window. She had expected it to come a lot sooner, but still it was funny. Even more funny to see a glowering Mabel being taken into the RV, so they could talk. Which she was sure was more Mabel grilling her brother for answers about the blonde in his bed.

It would be over sooner or later. Mabel had a big heart, and did care about people. Plus another girl, boy. Most guys would think Dipper was lucky, him and four girls. Yeah, he doubted Dipper thought along the same lines. It couldn't be easy being the only guy in a group of girls. But Dipper had been handling it well. However she often teased him about him being shot, telling him that he'd do anything for a couple of days of peace and quiet. So him being shot wasn't funny at the time. But now that it was over, and he was safe, they could laugh about it. In this new world of theirs, you needed humor. Or else... the world would pull you under.

“So you think Dipper's going to look for another RV or camper? Cause well we are already sharing a bed, and now Dipper's on the couch.” Tambry asked tossing a piece of a twig, that she had been breaking up, into the fire.

“Dipper had mentioned some cabin in the woods. We're going to take the SUV there later to A, see if it's empty of people, or infected. B, to see if it's got power that comes from the water wheel. C, to see if it's even in livable condition. We have the generators, but he doesn't want to use them, or the gas that we've been stocking up on, until there's no other choice. The gas will mainly be used for the vehicles.

“Plus, Dipper wanted to make a run to the bigger part of Gravity Falls, and look for supplies there. He wants us all to go. Taking the Truck and SUV. He said this might be the last time, before winter sets in completely, that we'll be able to go out.” Wendy tossed a log onto the fire. Since she was raised in the town, and so was Tambry, they both knew that when the snow came... it would come big time. This year had been talked about. That this year was supposed to be the coldest that Gravity Falls had seen in over fifty years.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I added Pacifica... and killed off some creeper stranger. I hinted about how this was going to be the worst winter in a while for the area. Mentioned a trip into the more populated Gravity Falls. And even mentioned a move. I mean, I like the irony of the Graveyard, but soon it's not going to be big enough for everyone. So yep, I leave you with this chapter, and things to think about for the future.


	8. Blizzards and Baths

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess what. I don't own Gravity Falls, it's characters, it's Pitt Cola, nor Waddles the Pig. I also don't make any money off this, because well. That would be just rude. I do own chicken wings, and I eat them when I like. Because they are mine, and good.

AVAVA  
( Dipper's PoV )  
VAVAV

Dipper moved box after box of supplies they had stocked up, into the RV and camper. They had planned on making a trip to the southern part of Gravity Falls for more supplies, weapons, and ammo. And had just about left to do that, when all of a sudden all the walkie-talkies suddenly made noises. Not just any noises someone talking. Must be someone passing Gravity Falls, because they could only hear one side of the conversation. But the half they heard lead to the frantic packing of supplies. 

Just a few hundred miles north from where they were, were whiteout conditions. And the storm was heading right for them. The person passing by told them he didn't think the RV, or camper would keep them warm enough, That he had heard from other people up north, the storm showed no signs of stopping. A slow moving storm system. And the worst part about it... the storm was 'pushing' a massive horde of the infected with it. Hopefully the mountains and valleys were enough to keep most of them from getting to their little area... but they wouldn't bet on it.

Food, they had enough... Dipper had checked and rechecked a few times, and they had more than enough to survive an entire winter, so a snow storm... they should be plenty prepared. Water was a big issue, if the waterlines froze and burst during the storm, they'd be stuck without water, and not just for showers, but water to drink. The generators had enough gas for a week, week and a half tops, between the gas canisters they had. Though he didn't think the solar generators would do much good during a snow storm. But if the batteries were charged, they could use them for a day or two, before having to use the gas powered ones, he hadn't had much experience with a solar generator.

Between the SUV, Truck, camper, and the RV, they managed to fit everything. The deep freezers were a concern of Dippers... but with a blizzard coming he didn't think anything would thaw out, and spoil. Dipper had collected his cameras the night before, and now their little convoy was ready to go. Tambry and Mabel took the SUV. Wendy drove the RV as per usual, with Pacifica riding along. Which left Dipper with the Truck, pulling the camper. Something that he did not want to do. But Wendy was the only one that knew how to drive the RV, Mabel... well he'd seen Mabel drive. Tambry had never driven anything before. And Pacifica... well she always had a chauffeur to drive her around... so that left him with the second most experience in driving... which amounted to nothing. So for safety reasons, he was behind the others. 

Dipper had wanted some time to check out the cabin that he'd found in the woods. He'd come here once after mentioning it to Mabel, and all he learned was no one lived there, infected or otherwise. That the walls were sound, as was the ceilings and floors, and the fence around it seemed to be fairly new, as in put up in the last several years. He didn't know if it would hold up to a horde of infected. The Graveyard fence would have, but that would mean risk freezing to death. So Dipper went with moving everything. The fence had an opening that was large enough for the vehicles to fit in. So if need be, they'd park them as close to the fences as they could, to help support the fence, if the horde did come. That and it had a big basement.

AVAVA

It had taken another hour for them to move everything from the vehicles to inside the cabin. The best part of the cabin, was plenty of room for them all. Okay so it was five people and three bedrooms. He was fine with the living room, in fact he wanted the living room. He could put his camera system up in there, and sleep on the couch. And he could watch the door from down here. No doubt Mabel would join him, giving the other three each their own rooms. Him and Mabel didn't care, they slept in the drafty attic at the shack. If you could sleep up there, you could sleep anywhere.

At first Dipper didn't think the place had power, until he found, and switched on the fuse box in the basement. So they'd have power as long as the blizzard didn't knock it out. Once everything was plugged in, Dipper and Wendy decided they should head to the southern part of town, for at least water. And anything else they could find... they wouldn't be looking for anything, but if they happened upon it. They'd grab it.

“So, SUV or Truck?” Wendy asked him as they walked out of the cabin. The snow hadn't started, but he could see the clouds in the distance, beyond the mountains.

“SUV, it has four-wheel drive. Just in case.” He would have liked the truck, because it could carry more. But getting back was a priority. And without weather channels, TV or Radio, they couldn't be sure when the storm would hit, and there was always the chance that it might turn.

“I'll drive.” She got into the driver's seat. He wasn't going to complain, he hadn't even known there was another part to Gravity Falls, and he'd been spending summers there for four years. Then again Wendy had been living here her entire life.

AVAVA

Fifteen minutes later, they passed the trees, and entered what was a more modern town. Must be where most of the business comes from. He'd always seen plenty of people around town, but never enough houses, this explained where they had come from, for the most part. Seemed there were no end to the surprises that Gravity Falls held.

The first couple of stores they had went to, had been mostly picked clean, except for the water, some batteries, and canned food. From the smell, there were either dead people, infected, or just rotting meat in the back. Neither wanted to get close enough to the back to investigate. So they gathered the water, the canned food and batteries. While loading things into the SUV, there didn't seem to be anyone around. Okay so a few infected wandered around, but as long as they didn't make too much noise, they wouldn't attract their attention, and the attention of others that were not seen.

No people though. With stores being looted, there had to be people somewhere. Either that, or a dead group with a large stock-pile of food, and supplies. Or maybe, if there was another group, they were stocked up enough, they didn't need to leave their safe-haven. It was unnerving to see a town so completely dead. In horror movies, it showed this big display. Newspapers littering the streets, missing posters of family members. Food wrappers, and soda cans. Cars crashed in the middle of the streets. But none of that here. Yeah okay, he thought, there were cars that had been abandoned in the middle of the streets, or sitting by a curb with a door open. But it just seemed like everyone had vanished, save for a couple of roaming infected.

“Gotcha!” Dipper squeaked, jumped as Wendy wrapped her arms around him from behind. “Did I scare you?”

“Don't do that! You're gonna give me a heart attack.” Her grip only tightened slightly, and he couldn't stay mad... actually he hadn't actually gotten mad.

“Then you shouldn't get lost in thought. What if I hadda been an infected person? I'd have eaten you.” Wendy tousled his hair. Though she had been serious, that could have been the end for him.

“You're right, sorry. So where to next?” Dipper asked after getting into the SUV, they now had enough drinking water to last the blizzard if need be. Even if that wasn't enough, they could boil snow and ice. 

“There is a pawn shop we passed on the way here, still looked like it had it's door gated.” Wendy said turning the SUV around, heading back they way they'd came. 

When they got to the pawnshop, the door had still been gated, though the glass had been broken. But other than that, it seemed to be mostly untouched on the inside. Wendy had tried using a hair pin to pick the padlock on the gate, which resulted in her muttering how easy it looked on TV, when failing. He had brought bolt cutters. Once the lock had been taken care of, the two entered the pawn shop.

First place was where the weapons were. Stuffing several more handguns into a bag, Dipper went to get as much ammo as he could fit into said bag, including ammo for the 38, he hadn't yet used. They didn't need many more guns. A few more rifles with scopes, for hunting. Though he didn't plan on telling anyone what they were for, since they had been dead set against him hunting. Another bag was taken from a shelf, as he stuffed as many arrows as would fit in them. Mabel had gotten pretty good with her bow since he had gone missing, but she needed more arrows, and... A new bow, he thought to himself as he pulled one down off the shelf.

His eyes fell onto one of the glass cases as he was walking back towards Wendy, when Mabel's taunts from before came back to him. He smiled to himself as he set upon a new item for him to pick up.

AVAVA  
( Wendy's PoV )  
VAVAV

While Dipper was gathering weapons they would need, if the horde came. She focused on the tools. Stuff they could use to reinforce the cabin, before the power went out. Some gun holsters, since Dipper didn't seem to notice that he was actually the only one that had one.

Her eyes fell onto a suit of armor, and she smiled to herself. How clique would it be to wear one of these while hacking zombies up with a sword or something? It would have to be at least worth a couple of laughs, since the person in it could fall over, and not be bitten.

“Whatcha think Dipper?” She asked, pointing to the suit of amour, trying to look as serious as she could. All he did was ask if she was serious, and laughed when she started to. “Yeah I thought so.” she said, then followed him out to put everything into the SUV. 

'Dipper? Wendy?' Mabel's voice came over the walkie.

“Yeah?” Dipper answered while she was driving.

'It's starting to snow pretty hard. Just wanted to make sure you guys were okay.' Mabel's voice sounded relieved.

“Should be there in a few minutes.”

AVAVA

What should have been just a few minutes drive, had turned into an hour's drive before they managed to get back to the cabin. The snow went from the faintest of flakes, that you could barely see, to large flakes that blocked you from seeing almost anything, resulting in Wendy having to dive very slowly. Though she found it oddly comforting that there shouldn't be any other vehicles that she'd have to watch out for.

Wendy was happy for the moments that her and Dipper had spent together the last few days. Though there hadn't been much time. An apocalypse sure takes up a lot of time, she thought to herself as she eased herself into the garden tub of hot water. A luxury that they hadn't had before. When they had arrived back with their haul, she had been bombarded by Mabel, Tambry, and Pacifica. Which all lead her, loudly, to both the bathrooms, which both contained large garden tubs. Which looked like a bigger find than all the ammo they had collected. And she would have to agree.

'This is the best,' She mused to herself. 'I'd almost forgotten what a nice hot bath could be like.'


	9. Cuddles and Practice

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short Chapter

The person they had spoken with over the CB had been right with their prediction about when the blizzard would hit Gravity Falls. Yes, it had been snowing fairly hard when Wendy and Dipper had arrived back to the cabin, while she had never seen snow like that. It was the pacific north-west, not uncommon, or at least that's what Wendy said. But what followed was so much more. During her bath the snow had went from a few inches that was on the ground, to about two foot after she had taken her bath. 

“Ungh! Really?” Mabel muttered looking over at the couch. She and Dipper were supposed to sleep on the couch, until they braved the snow in the morning to bring a couple of the mattresses. However, Dipper and Wendy seemed to both be asleep on the couch. 

Mabel was sure that they hadn't planned to fall asleep on the couch. Though as aggravating as it was, it was an adorable sight. It looked like They had been watching a movie, considering the TV was on, and a logo screen saver for the dvd player bounced around the screen. She turned back to the sleeping pair on the couch. Dipper's head leaned back against the couch, Wendy was leaned over, her head on Dipper shoulder. Both sleeping peacefully. She had to admit, it was cute. But...

“Where am I supposed to sleep?” Mabel muttered to herself. Then she decided that the only place that there was for her to sleep, was the room that was supposed to be Wendy's. A bed, instead of a couch? Let Wendy and Dipper have the couch. She'd have a bed, at least for the night.

AVAVA

Oh this is soooo much fun, Mabel thought during breakfast the next morning. Tambry and Pacifica were, good-naturedly, teasing Wendy, whose face was almost as red as her hair, about how they woke up this morning. Mabel had been around the first to wake up, she wasn't sure why, but before this infection spread, and even during it, she still got up too early for most people. 

Mabel had come down stairs in her PJ's to start breakfast, to find Dipper and Wendy snuggled up together, both laying on the couch now, like two little puppies. A sight that she deemed worthy of a picture. She had her instant camera, and several packs of photos that she'd managed to find for it. While she loved taking pictures, she now had to limit herself. If she didn't, she wouldn't be able to record moments... like that.

She tossed a couple logs into the fireplace, the cabin had electricity, at least it did at the moment, but still only used the fireplace for heating. Something that Dipper had mentioned they needed to start gathering as soon as the blizzard let up. And that hopefully the trees wouldn't be too frozen to cut. Luckily they had Wendy. Her being a lumber jack's daughter, she actually knew how to fall a tree, and knew how to use the chain saw that was in the barn behind the cabin. But he also mentioned, that between most of the furniture in the barn, that they could break up and burn if need be. Coupled with the few heater's they had they'd most likely survive the winter, even if they had to all bunk, and live mostly in one or two rooms together. And even if it wasn't enough, he mentioned they could take the truck... slowly... into town to the Shack, which had wood piled up behind it.

“Sooooo Dipppppper?” She walked up to her brother, who was busy working with the camera system. He looked up at her, his cheeks turning pink. Ahh, so he did know why she was here, she thought to her self, good, he can't say that he didn't see it coming now.

“Don't you start Mabel.” He groaned. Pacifica and Tambry had teased him first... which Wendy had been all too happy to join in. Until they turned their attention on her. Mabel assumed that if Wendy had of just left well enough alone, she would have gotten away with it. Or would have been forgotten about for the time. 

“What?” She asked innocently, though she knew full well that she had been caught. Maybe she could still salvage it. “You don't seriously think that I... your beautiful, kind and sweet...”

“Yes, I do.” Dipper just stared at her.

“You didn't even let me fin...”

“Nope. Sure didn't.”

AVAVA  
( Dipper's PoV )  
VAVAV

Dipper had managed to get out of the cabin, and get out of the fence, even if he had to squeeze through. He closed the gate behind him, swing the hunting rifle over one shoulder, along with a duffel bag. His duffel bag held his lunch, drinks and extra ammo for the rifle. Along with two extra handguns, and several clips. A blanket, extra food, couple bottles of water, and a walkie-talkie. He planned this outing for a chance to practice with the hunting rifle. For the moment, they had enough meat and canned food. 

On one of his previous walks, pre-infection, though the wood, he had noticed a couple of deer stands in the woods. Perfect for what he was planning. He didn't want to kill any deer, he didn't want to waste the meat, it would keep for the winter, but it would keep better if it stayed alive. No, he was going to practice his aim with the infected. And the deer stand would keep him safe, at least he was pretty sure it would. Worst case, he could run out of ammo, but still be safe enough.

“Alright.” He said to himself once he was up in the deer stand. Inside wasn't too big, it was a six by six foot room, built between two trees. There were two windows, well he associated them with windows, but in reality they were just foot tall 4 foot wide holes on either side of the stand. Oil lanterns, with a couple bottles of oil, matches. And a small propane range cooker, that he didn't have propane for. But the cabin might have bottles for it. He'd bring it back just in case.

He lit the lantern, not that he needed the light, it would help with the cold. Or at least he thought it would. He could always 'spotlight' the deer, meaning he could use a bright light to shine at the deer. For some reason deer stood still in the bright light, as if in a trance. It was illegal, and unsporting. But he would be hunting for sport. If he actually hunted, it would be for survival.

He pulled the rifle off his shoulder and let it rest on the sill of the 'window'. He was far enough away from the cabin to not have to worry about anyone hearing the gunshots. Or at least he hoped. The only people he wanted hearing the gunshots were the infected. He wanted to lure some of them to him. He loaded the rifle, took aim with the scope, at a nearby tree and fired. The sound reverberated throughout the woods.

“That should bring them around.” He said aloud to himself as he looked though his bag for the bag of beef jerky that he'd brought. Go figure, Dipper thought, the jerky was one of the snack foods that Robbie's group didn't take. He bit off a piece and waited.

AVAVA

The infected had showed up. About twenty of them. Currently nine of the twenty were dead. Shooting a moving target was much more difficult from a distance. It didn't take him long to figure out that he had to shoot where the infected was going to be, instead of where it was. Then, once he figured out how, he had to try and adjust the scope. Once he managed to get it like he wanted it, it made it a bit easier.

Only problem was that more infected were showing up. He reloaded the rifle again, and took out five more infected. Then three more before reloading. There were still about ten out there. He wasn't sure if he had counted any of them twice. But he assumed that there were about ten left. Fifteen laid dead on the ground. He wondered if it would end if he continued to shoot. Maybe he should try to find a silencer, or muffler, for the gun. If the sound attracted this many in winter, he didn't want to know what it would be like to have to hunt in summer, and then try to drag the deer back to the cabin. He would be a sitting duck.

After a few hours and about three fourth of his ammo was gone. Many bodies laid around the stand. With that Dipper felt more capable with the rifle. A few more days like this, and he was sure he could hunt for their food if needed. He shouldered his rifle and duffel, climbed down the latter. Once down he drew his handgun, in case stragglers showed up, and made his way back to the cabin.


	10. Bullets and Burials

AVAVA  
( Pacifica Northwest )  
VAVAV

Pacifica sat in the room that was hers in the cabin. It was nowhere near as big as the one she used to have, but strangely that didn't matter to her. Her whole life had revolved around material things. She couldn't remember a time before now, that she hadn't been concerned with what she had to wear, or what she wanted to buy, or even what she wanted to eat for dinner. Now? She wore what she had available, used what they managed to find around town to use, and eat whatever they had. Of course, she could pick what she wanted to eat, but it had to be what they already had. 

What was strange to her, wasn't the fact that she couldn't choose. No. It was the fact that she actually didn't care anymore. Okay, so there were crazy infected people trying to eat them. And there were crazy people that weren't infected, like that guy that tried to... do, who knows what, to her. But the experience was freeing.

She would have never thought that she would be so happy and relaxed around Dipper and Mabel. Wendy and Tambry... she hadn't really known too well before Dipper saved her, but everyone had been more than kind to her. More kind than she deserved from them anyways. Of course, just being spoiled wasn't all she had been. She had been mean and cruel to the Pines twins. Something that she felt bad for now.

She looked around the room, trying to figure out what to do, she finally gave up and laid back on the bed. Since they had come to the cabin, there hadn't been much she could do. Mabel did most of the cooking, unless she was busy, then it was Tambry or Wendy. Pacifica had never actually cooked anything in her life. Dipper walked the parameter, and went out with Wendy or Mabel to gather more supplies, also took care of the cameras, and all of the weapons. Tambry, had started training to be a nurse, so she knew about medications, and she had been the one that stitched Dipper's arm up, before she had gotten there.

A loud gunshot had caused her to sit up in her bed. It could have been Mabel practicing, now that they had a considerable amount of ammo stocked up. It could have been Wendy, or Tambry even. Dipper, wasn't there, he was out gathering supplies, alone, since the areas he was going to was familiar. Another shot echoed through the house.

“Wendy!” Mabel yelled from down stairs, “Tambry!”

“What's happening?” Pacifica yelled out her door, after getting up and pulling it open.

“Someone's shooting...” Mabel was interrupted by another round of gun fire. 

“What do we do?” Pacifica laid on the floor next to Mabel, wishing that she knew what she was doing. Wished that she knew anything about defending herself. She knew martial arts, and had even taken up some weapons training, but that was with bladed weapons... not something she could use against someone armed with firearms.

“I... don't know... I don't even know where they are.” Mabel muttered. Mabel had drawn her weapon, but Pacifica knew that without a target, the girls gun was as worthless as her, since she didn't have any usable skills.

“Wendy? Tambry?” She had to ask.

“They were outside.” Mabel looked down, as the gun fire resumed once again. “I... I don't know.”

AVAVA  
( Dipper Pines )  
VAVAV

Dipper sat on a branch, his back against the tree he was sitting on. The rifle that he had been practicing with, held out in front of him. He watched the little cabin that he had brought his group to. Under attack. Most people would have started to try to take out the enemy. Oh he planned to, just not until he knew how many he was dealing with. He had arrived and climbed the tree, just time time to see Wendy helping Tambry down into the cellar of the cabin. His moved the rifle, looking through the scope counting his targets.

“Seven.” He muttered. He had used potatoes to make faux silencers. Only problem with them, they only worked once. And since he had already started his target practice with the infected, he had already used the most of them. He rifled through his bag. Unless he missed one, or counted twice, he only had five 'silencers'. Enough to take out five of the seven, without being heard... if his aim was good enough. If not, then he had five chances, before the remainder knew he was there.

“Alright Dipper, you can do this,” He muttered to himself, before taking a deep breath. “This isn't you, just blindly killing. This is protecting the people you care about, from hostile forces... it's just like killing the infected...”

He lined up the first, and closest target. A male, a bit older than him. It might have been one of the ones from the 'gang' Nate, or Lee. He couldn't remember which was which. Head-shots, he told himself. Unless it's a head shot, they might come back as those things... he didn't know, but he wasn't going to take the chance. He took out one of the faux silencers put it on the end of the rifle, took aim exhaled, and pulled the trigger.

“Six,” He muttered dropping the potato and putting another one over the barrel. He cocked the rifle again, looking for his next target.

AVAVA

He dropped his last potato. He had only managed to take out four of the attackers. Meaning, his next shot would alert them to him. If he hit his mark, then there would still be two attackers that would be looking for him. He loaded more bullets into his rifle.

Loaded and cocked, he took aim. Hoping that he was still protecting the people he cared about. No one called him on the walkie-talkie, no sign of movement in the cabin. What if Mabel was dead? Or Wendy? Tambry? Pacifica? Was he all that was left? His eyes started watering up. 

“No... they're fine. Might be hurt... so I need to stay calm... so I can do this.” He wiped his eyes, and took aim again. This time the farthest attacker. He waited. Watched as the attacker ran out of bullets, then watched as he started to reload. Dipper pulled the trigger, he jumped at how his shot echoed through the area, and watched as the guy's brains splattered the tree he had been leaning against.

All gun fire stopped for a moment. They knew there was another shooter. Dipper cocked the rifle again, and took aim at the next farthest person. As Dipper had hoped, this guy was busy looking around. Dipper took aim, and fired again. Another life snuffed out. Cocked the rifle again. He noted that humans were easier to kill than the infected. The infected never stopped moving. Humans, they stopped moving at the sound of gunfire. He caught the last one in his sights. Starting to run away.

“Not today.” Dipper muttered, as he aimed and fired. He watched as the guy fell. He reached into his bag pulling out the walkie-talkie. “Anyone there?”

He waited. Nothing came back. He sighed and leaned his head back against the tree. He hadn't made it in time. Damn it. If he hadn't been so damn concerned with learning to hunt... he might have been able to save them... what was wrong with him? They had told him it was a bad idea, and he didn't listen. He thought he knew...

“Dipper?” Pacifica's voice called over the walkie-talkie, “Dipper! There are people here! And they are shooting at us!”

“They are dead.” Dipper's voice sounded hollow to himself. Then he asked the question that he had to ask, even if he wasn't sure if he wanted the answer, “How is everyone?”

“I'm here.” Mabel's voice came over the walkie-talkie, “But I don't know about Wendy or Tambry, they were outside.”

“They went into the cellar... go check on them, I'm coming... as soon as I get out of this tree.” He muttered... climbing was easy, but he wasn't as good with 'down' as he was with 'up'. He scanned the area once more with the scope, before climbing, less than gracefully, down. He shouldered the rifle, and pulled out his handgun. Just because he hadn't seen anyone else, didn't mean there wasn't anyone else.

AVAVA  
( Wendy Corduroy )  
VAVAV

“Talk about lucky,” Wendy said to her friend, as she patted Tambry's shoulder. 

“I got shot! How is that lucky!” Tambry almost growled.

“Yeah, but it just grazed you. Plus, Dipper took care of them.” The only reason Wendy knew that Dipper had taken care of the enemies, was that she heard him talking on an old CB radio that she had tried using to contact him, or Mabel. But the mic was broken. So all she could do was sit with Tambry, and listen. Once all the firing stopped, she then heard two more, single shots, before Dipper's voice came over the radio. Once again, Dipper had stepped up, and taken lives for their survival.

“Lets get out of here,” Tambry muttered. Wendy helped Tambry to her feet, and was leading her up the stairs, as Mabel and Pacifica were coming down. “Help me get her up. She'll be fine.”

“Come on Pacifica, grab that arm, I got this one.” Mabel said, the both helped Tambry out of the cellar, and carefully across the snow.

Wendy stopped and looked around. Not much damage. Some broken windows, they could be fixed. But most of the cabin had been protected by the fence. The fence... well it had a couple of holes in it, but for the most part, it was still standing strong. The SUV had a flat tire, maybe from a ricochet.

Then she brighten up as she saw that messy brown hair, and white and blue cap, come through the gate, followed by the rest of her favorite person. She started towards him, he hadn't seemed to notice that she was there yet. Then stopped as he dropped the bag he was carrying and the rifle. Watched him turn towards the fence, bracing himself as he vomited next to it. Then watched as he just sank to his knees.

Had it finally hit him? The boys from the video store? These other people? She knew it was rough... okay so she didn't know first hand. But she knew it had to be harder to kill humans than these zombies. Knowing that was a person, and not just a mindless killing... monster.

“Wen...” Mabel had come back out, and stopped once seeing Dipper, her brother, on his knees, now crying. “Dipper!”

She watched as Mabel ran to her brother. All she could do was watch. She didn't know what she needed to do. Okay, so she knew that she needed to comfort him, but how? What was she supposed to do to let him know that everything would be alright? That he did what he had to, and that he didn't have to beat himself up for it.

“Dipper. It's alright. We're safe Broseph, we're safe.” Mabel murmured as she held onto her brother.

“I... I have to move the bodies.” Dipper's voice was rough, and hollow sounding.

“We'll go with you.” Mabel said, then stopped Dipper from talking. “You can't go out there, not without someone watching you're back.”

AVAVA

They had gone with Dipper. All of them, very armed. Pacifica and Tambry, even if they couldn't use any weapons too well, they still had them. The thought was, no one would mess with a group of five if they were completely armed. Dipper and Wendy took turns digging shallow graves for each body. They would have done more, but the cold air, and snow had almost completely froze the ground, so they did the best they could. 

Frankly, even though she didn't voice it, she didn't think they deserved that much. But it showed the kind of person that Dipper was, that he wanted to do this for them. No. Not wanted. Dipper needed to do this for them. Because that was the kind of person he was. He couldn't just leave them out for some animal. To him, they were still human. They were fighting for survival, just like they were. Maybe Dipper was right.


	11. Rest, and Regrets

AVAVA  
( Mabel's PoV )  
VAVAV

Mabel watched as her brother just sat on the stairs, inside. She wasn't entirely sure what she should say to him. He had been sitting there ever since they had returned from burying the seven bodies of the attackers, which had been several hours before. Under normal situations, she would have been horrified at the sight of the bodies. She wasn't ashamed to admit that she hadn't actually been able to hold down her lunch after seeing the bits of one of the guy's brains frozen on a tree. Pacifica puked as well, a perfectly natural reaction, which was what Mabel had told herself. Tambry... well, she seemed morbidly interested, Mabel didn't know if that was because of Tambry's interest in medicine, or if she was just morbid.. Wendy seemed more concerned with Dipper than anything else. Mabel had been as well, but was having a hard time not focusing on the dead bodies.

Wendy had tried to talk to Dipper after they had gotten back. Pacifica had tried as well. Even Tambry attempted to talk with him. Tried to see how he was feeling about the situation, but nothing helped. So that left her. The only person in the group that could talk with Dipper. Being twins... maybe she would have more leverage with getting him to talk. 

Dipper tensed up, but didn't look up from the spot between his feet, that he had been looking at for the past hour or so, as she sat next to him. She waited a bit. You couldn't just push Dipper. Something that she had learned time and time again. You needed to slowly work your way into a difficult conversation with Dipper. Needed to talk to slow. First, in an awkward situation like this, she needed him to be comfortable with her just being around him. It took a few minutes, for his body to relax... well as relaxed as he was going to get at the moment. She reached out and slowly up her hand on his knee.

“Hey Dipp.” her voice sounded so quiet, she wasn't sure he even heard her.

“Yeah?” His voice just as quiet. Maybe he was afraid of rejection. Under normal circumstances, what Dipper had done... would scare her. Honestly, it freaked her out a little, even now. She knew her brother could kill the infected people. She had accepted the others at the video store, because well... it was fight or flight mode. And she knew that these seven... were because they were shooting at the cabin. She was freaked out, not because of him doing it... no. It was the speed he was able to do it. How quickly it was done, that bothered her.

“We... uh... we just wanted to know... if you were, you know. Alright?” Mabel squeaked out. She wasn't afraid of her brother. She wasn't, she couldn't be. He was protecting her, and Wendy, Tambry, and Pacifica.

“I... I just don't know Mabel.” He looked up at her, before turning his attention back to the floor. She could tell that he was ashamed. And he shouldn't be. He had saved everyone. Those guys were the bad ones, not her brother. Dipper hadn't done it deliberately. She could tell by the way that he was acting, that he hadn't done it deliberately. 

AVAVA  
( Wendy Corduroy )  
VAVAV

“Again?” Mabel asked as Wendy set a plate of lunch, that was hardly touched, on the counter. 

“Yeah...” She sighed, then looked at the younger female. It had been a couple of weeks since the incident with the shooters. “I don't know what to do.”

“He'll bounce back... I... I just know it! It's just... he has to, you know, just sort stuff out in his mind. It's like you said. It can't be easy to kill someone.” Mabel smiled. A smile that was a shadow of what it once was. Who could blame the girl? The world had literally went to hell in the last few weeks.

“I sure hope so... we kind of need him.” It was a fact. One that none of them could argue with. Dipper knew about the generators, if they needed to use them. He knew about maintaining the guns to keep them working. He knew every corner of the cabin, and within the fence, just like he had with the campers and the graveyard.

“Yeah. I know. I'll try talking with him again tonight, right before I cook dinner.” She said putting the plate in the refrigerator.

AVAVA

She looked around the empty living room. Tambry was still working in the basement. She had mentioned that she wanted to clean it up, and use it to store the medication, and first-aid supplies. Kind of like a mini clinic, you know... the kind in a cabin basement in the middle of an apocalypse. Not a place you would go to voluntarily, but if you don't have a choice. It's... well it's your only option.

Pacifica... Well, Wendy assumed that Pacifica was still helping Tambry. If she wasn't then she was in her room, or practicing with those stupid machetes. Okay, so that wasn't fair. Pacifica lacked the ability to use a gun, or bow. But because of her fencing lessons as a youth, it made her skilled with a sword. But a machete wasn't a sword, which was why she was practicing.

Then there was Dipper. Who currently wasn't in the house. He was in the smaller camper. He had been sleeping in there, and staying in there since the incident. They didn't even know where the guys were from. At first, Dipper had thought that they were from Robbie's camp, but after Tambry had a chance to look at them, well what was left of them. She was sure that none of them were from Robbie's camp, unless they were new. 

Wendy hoped that they were just newly recruited to Robbie's camp. She didn't want to think about more than one hostile group of survivors in Gravity Falls. 

“Yo, Dipp, comin' in.” Wendy called, like usual before she let herself into the camper.

The last several times that she had come to check on him, he had been sitting quietly, or writing in a note-book. He would answer when she spoke to him, but that was about it. He wouldn't start the conversation, and he would ignore it, if he would he could. But this time... this time was different.

This time, he was sleeping, curled up, on the sofa, that was in the little camper. This was the first time that she had found him sleeping. When she asked, he told her that he had been sleeping, only a little at a time, and never stayed asleep long. She took a seat on the sofa, next to his head. 

She couldn't help but think that he was still so small for his age. It was cute, and adorable... words that, no doubt, would upset the boy. But she could think thing without having to worry about him getting flustered. Just a short time ago she wouldn't have thought that about the boy in front of her. Well. She had always thought he was adorable, but it was just that. Thinking that the boy, that used to have a crush on her, that visited every summer with his sister. 

Now. Now it was different. She didn't see him as just the boy that visited. This was a young man. A young man, that for some reason, she had become attracted to. She ignored the fact that this boy was also, one of the only males left... that didn't want to eat her alive. Added to the fact that the others that they had met, had seemed murderous. Dipper was man of the year. Couldn't actually call him a boy anymore. Not after everything that had happened.

AVAVA  
( Dipper Pines )  
( Few Hours Before )  
VAVAV

He was still beating himself up over what happened, regardless of what anyone said, he drew his legs up to his chest. Mabel kept telling him that it wasn't his fault. He knew it wasn't his fault. He did, he really did. He knew that it was the other guy's fault. If they hadn't attacked the cabin, without being provoked, they would still be alive. Well... He couldn't guarantee that they would still be alive. There were crazed cannibals out there, bent on eating anyone with a heart beat. But they would have lived longer than they had. He wouldn't have had to kill them. It had been a necessary thing, at the time. He had to kill them, or let his sister, and his friends, die. But it didn't mean that he didn't feel guilty after each person he killed. They made him become a killer... again. After the video store. He had hoped that he could just live a normal life. Well, as normal as you could get, given the circumstances. He just wanted to be normal again. 

“Damn it!” He shouted. He felt the tears running down his cheeks. How could he be normal.? How could he be normal, living in a cabin, that had a reinforced fence, to keep crazy people out. With his sister, Mabel. He was glad to have his sister around, she was helping to keep him grounded. There was Tambry. He didn't have much social interaction with Tambry, but the few times that they had talked, she seemed genuine. Though, Pacifica was the one to take the cake. Never would he imagine that she would become... the nice, sympathetic person she was becoming. 

Then there was Wendy. The most confusing of the group. She had been going out of her way since the people attacked the cabin, to see how he was doing. To make sure he wasn't going to do anything stupid. He assumed, that she mean killing himself. But that wasn't an issue. He wasn't going to kill himself. No...

He yawned.

He laid back on the couch, that had been his bed for the past couple of weeks, and closed his eyes. It was time for a nap. Though, he wouldn't nap long. He never did, not since that day. It wasn't so much nightmares... than it was just... he couldn't sleep.


	12. Two More, and Ferry Plan

AVAVA

( Tambry Tsukino )

VAVAV

Tambry marked numbers next to the typed up list of medical supplies. Something she did once a month, or had been doing once a month, until she noticed that things were going missing. She could understand bandages, or antibiotic cream, since those things were hard to keep an accurate track of. But, what was missing were pain pills, that she and Wendy had managed to liberate from a couple of clinics, and the only hospital in Gravity Falls.

The pills had started going missing six months after Dipper left the cabin, which had been ten months before. Something, no one was happy about... but considering he left in the night, there wasn't much anyone could do. Though they hadn't went missing in the past month or so.

He wasn't completely gone. There were signs that he had been there, though while everyone was sleeping. Meat that had been put into the freezer. Other food that appeared, or had been taken. Blankets went missing, the strangest things though, were the couple of outfits of Mabel's that had vanished. No one had any idea what he was doing with them.

Then the pills, were a main giveaway, considering Wendy, Mabel, or Pacifica, didn't have dilated eyes, so it couldn't be them, and had to be Dipper. However, the main question was, why was he taking the pills? Had he been hurt again? Was he just trying to hide from his feelings? Which wasn't good, but since none of them had actually seen him in close to six months, she couldn't tell.

Winter was upon them again, and she was worried that Dipper would try to isolate himself from them even longer. Wendy had been a nervous wreak when Dipper first left, but it got easier, since he did show up from time to time. At least he did in the first four months. Even Mabel was supportive of him in the first four months, because she knew that her brother needed time to clear his head. Who wouldn't after having to take other people's lives.

Tambry herself understood that Dipper needed his space. She could see what the others didn't. Because Wendy and Mabel had emotional attachments to Dipper. And Pacifica, had an emotional attachment to him as well, due to him being the person that saved her life. Tambry was thankful that Dipper had let her into the group, but she could also see, that all the females around, that wanted to try to comfort him, was also smothering him.

"Pills missing again?" Mabel's voice shocked her a bit, since no one hardly came down to the little makeshift clinic in the basement. It was where she read over medical books that had been scavenged, from houses, hospitals, and book stores.

"Not this time, haven't had any pain pills go missing in almost a month now. Some ibuprofen though. So maybe, if he got hurt, he's doing better," She said while pretending to count bandages that she had already counted. She didn't want to give Mabel false hope, nor did she want to discourage her. So she tried to make herself look busy, so she didn't have to say what she was thinking.

"Well, at least we know that he hasn't become a pill popper." Mabel said sitting down in one of the chairs. Looked like she didn't plan on going anywhere. "Now if we can just figure out what he's doing with my clothes."

AVAVA

( Dipper Pines )

VAVAV

Dipper stared at the fence to the cabin that he had left, almost a year before. He wanted to disappear from that world. Didn't want the others to wonder if he was going to turn into a murderer. Of course, no one had said it. Nor had he heard anyone talking behind his back, but he still worried, they feared him. He had killed humans. Not the infected. Humans.

Only now? He didn't care anymore.

Of course he cared that he had taken lives, but he no longer felt guilt for it. Because he realized he did what he had to do. He had to protect his family. His family now, Mabel, Wendy, Pacifica, and Tambry. Two of which, he never imagined that he would call family. One that he wished would marry him, in his youth, and then Mabel... but she was already family.

He turned off the ignition to the van that he had been using as a home, and transportation. There was no doubt in his mind, the group of females already knew that there was a vehicle in front of the cabin, and if they didn't, he was surely going to lay into them for not being aware of their surroundings.

He saw a person, move through the slits in the wooden fence. Then he noticed one of the windows on the second floor open, just enough that a barrel of a rifle could be put out of it. He wondered which one had him in her sights, and wondered if any of the others were out there that he couldn't see.

"Get out of the van, and show me your hands." Mabel's voice called from the other side of the fence, moments before she pushed the gate open enough to walk out.

"You said it would be safe here." A voice called from behind him.

"Yeah, you said they were nice." Another voice called from behind him.

He turned back to look at his two new family members. Thomas, a young boy who was ten He had curly brown hair, blue eyes, and a light skin complexion. Then to the other, a female long black hair, and hazel eyes, her name was Anna, and she was thirteen.

"It'll be alright, you'll see in a second, just wait in here, and don't come out until I say so." He waited long enough for them to agree, before opening the door and stepping out of the van. He looked up to Mabel, and raised one of his eyebrows. "Is that any way to greet your own brother?"

"Dipper? Dipper! Oh my God Dipper!" Mabel dropped her gun, and ran towards him, and jumped on him, knocking him to the ground. "Where have you been? It's been six months since anyone's seen you!"

"You're killing me!" He groaned, but didn't let go of his sister.

"I should you know. After your little vanishing act." He was sure she meant it, even as she buried her face in his neck.

"Well, let me up first, so I can get this van in, then you can kill me. After we get them settled." He nodded to the van. "Thomas, help Anna out, and inside."

AVAVA

( Mabel Pines )

VAVAV

"So, who're the kids?" Wendy nodded over to the couch, where the kids sat. Mabel turned her attention to the two new arrivals, and Tambry who was looking at Anna's leg. "And what happened to the girl?"

"Anna, was injured when I found her several months ago. I was walking through a couple of the abandoned strip malls in the southern part of Gravity Falls. And I came across Anna, locked in a cage, injured. She hasn't told me out and out, but I have a feeling that someone out there is trying to enslave people." Enslave people... were humans still that primitive? All it took was a little over two years of an apocalypse, to cause people to revert back to enslaving people. It was sick, and twisted. "Thomas, was wandering alone, it seemed that the group that he was with, either left him while they were scavenging for food, or didn't make it, to return."

"So there are other groups out there." Pacifica stated from across the table.

"Yes. Though, honestly, I haven't found a good one. All the groups out there are greedy, and seem homicidal." Dipper hung his head. "I went out there to try to find myself... which I did. Though, not like I planned. I saw how these other groups acted, and treated one another. How the weaker members were used as bait. Used for practice dummy's. And worse, used for entertainment for the 'fighters'. Which is what I think Anna was intended to be, 'entertainment'."

"So now that your back, what's the game plan?" Mabel asked her brother. She tried to ignore the fact that the girl being treated in the other room, might have almost ended up some kind of sex slave. Humans were animals... or at least, turned into animals too easily. "We gonna barricade ourselves in?"

"No. We've gotta find something better. More hidden, more defensive." Dipper muttered, then looked up from the table. "I saw other groups like us. Their safe haven was looted, they were captured, and either killed, or chained. Then could only watch as the survivors were carted off. Some of those groups are big. Very big."

"Robbie's group?" Wendy asked, maybe she was curious about her ex-boyfriends actions in all of this.

"He has one of the more hostile groups," Dipper said softly. "If he's keeping slaves, then I didn't see any. At least, as far as I can tell, he's not that twisted yet."

"I know we talked about it before, but what about the Mansion?" Pacifica asked.

"There's a group out there that call themselves, Dark Blood. Don't ask me what it means, or where it comes from. I only overheard a couple of them talking. They check the Mansion daily for survivors, potential slaves. And even if we armed Anna, and Thomas, we'd still be outnumbered by about five to one. There's no way we could defend it against the threat of zombies. Much less humans added into the mix."

The mansion was out. The Shack wasn't fortified enough. Other houses were too close together to protect, or didn't offer the right protection. Wendy's house had already been looted. The Dusk Til Dawn, had already been breached once, and they still didn't know by who. Robbie controlled the police station. Finally there was no real way out of town, with the tunnel blocked.

"So... were basically screwed." Mabel muttered.

"Not yet. I haven't been out there, just watching them this last year." He had that arrogant grin on his face, that she hadn't seen since before he had to kill the people that tried to attack the cabin. It was something that she missed.

"Well, don't leave in the dark." Wendy was smiling, obviously she had missed this Dipper as well.

"I've been converting a big ferry. The engine still needs diesel. But the lights, and stoves heating and cooling can run off solar power. I've installed a few of the back-up batteries in it, so if we get another snow storm, we'll have power until the skies clear. Not to mention we'll be taking the RV, truck , and the generators with us." He looked up at them, "The lake's big, really big. If we go to the other side of the island, no one would even see us."

"So we need to start packing?" Pacifica asked, looking from Dipper to everyone else.

"Yes. But we won't be leaving for a few days. I want to make sure, we do all we can for Anna's leg, before we have to move her again."

"Reasonable." Wendy agreed. Wendy had been acting business like, but it didn't escape Mabel's notice, that she was holding Dipper's hand under the table.

"Right, so. We should pack up all the stuff we're not gonna need?"

"Yeah, anything you don't plan on using for a couple of day, pack it up. Were taking everything. Mattresses, blankets, pillows, anything you'd need here, you'll need there." Dipper agreed.

"Dipper, can... we talk? Up in the room?" Wendy asked Dipper. And Mabel knew Wendy just wanted to spend some alone time with him. He was her boyfriend, if those still existed in this crazy world, and she hadn't seen him in almost a year.


	13. Ferry Tales, and Old Friends

AVAVA

( Dipper's PoV )

VAVAV

Dipper looked back to the bed that he had just gotten out of, after putting his shirt on. It had just been a simple talk between him and Wendy, about where he had been, what he had been doing, and various other things. Then one thing lead to another, and well. He looked back at the bed again. He wasn't displeased about what had happened the night before. Not at all.

He smiled as he gazed at the redhead still curled up under the covers. This was actually a dream come true for Dipper. It was just too bad that he had other things on his mind at the moment.

He stepped into his boot, without worrying about tying them. He didn't need to, he was just going down stairs. Silently he made his way down the hallway, and past the rooms that held Mabel and Pacifica, who had decided to share a room, after he had left. Mabel didn't want to be alone in the living room, and Pacifica's room was big enough for two beds. Then he passed the other, where Tambry slept.

While he knew that Pacifica and Mabel were sleeping. Tambry had taken on a more erratic sleep schedule, since she was still reading medical books, trying to be prepared for anything. Still he went quietly past her room, and down the stairs.

Once in the living room he stopped, and peered at the two in the living room. Thomas was on the loveseat, sleeping much like he had in the van, curled up in a ball, that, to Dipper, looked really uncomfortable. Dipper didn't even know how the boy could breathe like that, much less sleep. Then there was Anna sleeping on the couch. She was on her back, her leg elevated on the arm of the couch. Her left pant leg had been cut off, revealing the bandage.

Dipper had done the best he could with the girls leg while he was away. He should have brought the girl here sooner, but he couldn't stop watching the group called 'Dark Blood'. He wanted to make sure that they weren't planning on going near the cabin, or the docks. He couldn't risk them finding Mabel and the others, or the ferry that he had been working on. He had gotten bandages, and medication for Anna, and even thumbed through a few of Tambry's medical books so he knew the basics of how to help her specific needs. But if something happened, and she got sick, he would feel bad for not bringing her sooner. He could have brought her and left her with Tambry, but he was sure Mabel and Wendy, wouldn't let him leave again, not without one of them. And they surely wouldn't have let him leave if they knew what he was doing.

AVAVA

He poured himself a glass of water, then sat at the table. He had made breakfast for everyone, now all he had to do was wait for them all to wake up. Shouldn't be long, since the sun had risen. He had checked the temperature outside, and it was in the upper fifties, (Fahrenheit). Not too cold, but winter had just begun, and while he wanted to wait for Anna's leg. He really wanted to get moved, before winter set in.

The way he planned it was moving everything in one go. Tambry or Pacifica would have to drive the SUV, while Wendy took the RV, Mabel would drive his van, and he would drive the truck and camper. They only planned to take the RV, and truck on the ferry, but they'd still need everything else to transport everything in one go. Or he could try to risk going out, and find a moving truck.

"Whatcha thinking about Bro-bro?" Mabel asked flopping down beside him, reaching for the food on plates in the middle of the table. Seemingly without a care in the world. That was the sister he knew, and he was glad she was still herself at the core

"Thinking about how to get everything to the ferry. We could drive all the vehicles and get it all there, but that amount of traffic, will draw attention. I was thinking about getting one of those moving trucks, so we could leave the camper, van, and SUV here." He started to make his plate. He had waited for someone else. He wasn't sure why he had, just that he didn't want to eat alone.

"I think the truck thing would be best. I know with the other way, Tambry, or Paz would have to drive, and that might end up worse than being caught." Mabel said with a mouth full of eggs.

He took a bite of the eggs, and grimaced. Powered eggs didn't taste like regular eggs, but without chickens, there wasn't fresh eggs anymore, so he had to make due with MRE issued. At least the bacon was alright. Canned bacon. Who knew such a thing existed. It was a good thing the hunting store carried plenty of MREs. Also carried a large number of powered food, from vegetables to meats. Then canned meats, including bacon. It was amazing, even if it wasn't the best tasting.

"Maybe you're right. I'll go out and look for a truck after breakfast." He muttered kind of wishing that he had toast, and butter. He missed buttered toast.

"What about those Blood people?" Mabel put down her fork. "You can't go alone!"

"They are aggressive, violent and barbaric." Mabel nodded in agreement, "But, they sleep in. I've never seen one of them out before noon. Not in a year. So I think it'll be alright to go it alone."

"You need someone to go with you, and watch your back." Mabel insisted.

"I need you here to pack things up. Anna can't help, Thomas is too small to help, and Tambry will be busy with the medical supplies, and with Anna. So, I'm going to be relying on you, Wendy, and Pacifica."

"Fine... but take the walkie, and always answer. I mean it! If you don't answer, we're gonna hunt you down." Despite it sounding like a joke, his sister carried a real serious look on her face. He didn't doubt that she would hunt him down if he vanished again. It was a good thing that he didn't plan on vanishing. He didn't think that he would survive, when she found him.

AVAVA

( Wendy Corduroy )

VAVAV

It was cute watching Thomas go after things that Anna wanted. Despite Anna telling the boy that she could get things on her own, the younger boy refused to let her get up. Telling her that she was supposed to rest her leg, and let it heal. And he became pretty insistent on the fact. The boy had mentioned that he would do anything for her, that she was the big sister that he had always wanted, but never had. Of all the things this whole apocalypse had created, that bond had to of been one of the best. Without the apocalypse, he doubted either of them would have met, and they wouldn't have this sibling type relationship. It was nice to know, some good came out of it.

Then again, after last night. She couldn't have said nothing good came out of it. For an inexperienced boy, Dipper sure did know how to make her feel good. Then again, the boy had crushed on her for a long time. Maybe it was a long time fantasy, finally fulfilled. Either way, it was the best night of her life.

"So, why have you been all smiles this morning?" Tambry asked, sitting with her at the table, with Mabel and Pacifica. "Something happen last night?"

"No. Nothing happened," her face turned red as she lied, remembering the night before.

"Nothing happened?" Mabel snickered, "Yeah, right! We share a wall ding-dong, I know what happened."

"N-Nothing..." Wendy started, knowing that her face was turning redder by the second.

"Sure doesn't look like nothing." Tambry smirked. "So, I take it, you and Dipper finally... had alone time." Wendy hated how the other girl's eyebrows wiggled up and down.

"I'm telling you...! Gah... fine! Alright! We'll talk about it later, Alright?" Wendy muttered loudly, hoping to drive her point across by trying to sound irritated "Just... leave it alone right now.. we got work to do."

AVAVA

( Dipper Pines )

VAVAV

Dipper passed the old water tower, that Robbie had painted what looked to be a giant cupcake on, even though he insisted that it was an explosion. But it looked like a cupcake to him, and everyone else, after he had pointed it out. Usually the tower made him chuckle, had even after the infected took over. But not today. Not with bodies hanging from the railing of the tower.

He had killed people, not innocent ones, but he had killed. It wasn't the fact that these people were hanging from ropes by the neck, which was disturbing, but that wasn't it. Not completely.

No.

It was the fact they were on the tower. Were they taken up there and hung? Or did those sick Dark Blood members, just carry up already dead bodies, just to make a point? Just to show and other survivors what was in store for them, if they didn't side with them? It disturbed him, that they went through all the trouble, of using the dead bodies like a message. A warning.

It was disgusting.

But that was the way things worked now. That was how this world seemed to work. The evil and depraved were the ones that ruled it. Probably because they would stop at nothing to achieve their goals, and when your goals was to make enough people happy, to create a small army? There was no doubt in Dipper's mind that, that was the reason groups like Dark Blood existed.

That is just here in Gravity Falls, he thought as he continued slowly towards the docks. What about the rest of Oregon? The rest of the country? The world? How many of these vicious sick groups were preying on survivors?

Not much he could do about it.

He couldn't stand up to all the twisted people in the world.

No one could.

AVAVA

It didn't take long to find a truck that he could use. It was a bread truck, or used to be. Now it was completely empty save for a few old bread wrappers. Nothing of importance, but it would serve it's purpose. He left the SUV, where the truck was. He couldn't drive both, and the SUV wasn't part of the plan anyways. And drove towards the cabin.

Didn't matter if anyone saw him. He wouldn't be in one place for too long. What he hadn't told any of the others, that while the Dark Blood had been making a name for themselves. There was whispers about him too. He wasn't egotistical enough to care what they called him. He just remembered over hearing several people talking about things he had done.

Plus none of the Dark Blood, was awake this time a morning. Again, that's what he assumed, since he had never saw any of them.

It was still early in the morning, if they worked fast enough, they could have everything loaded, and be on the ferry by noon. Which was when he usually saw them starting to come out of their little hideyholes. But by then, they should be on the ferry, and far enough away from the shore, the shouldn't have to worry about them.

AVAVA

The rest of the morning had been hectic, to say the least. But at least everything had been checked, and double checked, by him, and Tambry. So they were sure they had everything they needed. The vehicles were loaded, and everyone was ready.

Anna, and Thomas were in the RV, with Wendy driving. Tambry and Pacifica were driving the pickup truck. Finally he and Mabel took the bread truck.

Dipper took a deep breath, before pulling away from the cabin, the small caravan following suit.

"Everyone alright back there?" Mabel asked on the walkie, not that anything happened. Dipper just wanted to maintain contact, until they made it to the ferry.

"We're here, and good." Pacifica's voice came through the walkie.

"Right behind'ya." Wendy's voice came shortly after.

"Alright, Mabel. Keep an eye out for any movement. If you see something, let me know. 'Kay?" Dipper said, trying his best to watch their surroundings, and keep an eye on the road.

"Gotcha, Bro-Bro."

AVAVA

"See, we made it, no problem." Mabel said with a big smile on her face. He had to admit, it was a lot easier than he imagined. Maybe the fact that the Dark Blood's were late risers, was a good bit of information.

"Alright. Now that everything's on the ferry. Let's get this tub moving." Dipper said as he started up the stairs on the side.

A gunshot echoed around him. Then another.

"Dipper! They're on the shore!" Mabel yelled as she pulled out her gun, shooting at about twenty or so people running towards the ferry.

"Get this thing moving, Dipper!" Wendy yelled as she took aim with her rifle.

He wanted to stay and protect his group, but he was the only one that knew how to drive the ferry. And even then, he wasn't sure he could do it well. He ran up the stairs, and started the ferry. Yelling behind him out the door for everyone to hold on. He wasn't sure what would happen, when he pushed the lever forward, to the ferry's maximum speed. Everything lurched forward, as Dipper fell back on the floor. Seems the old ferry had a bit more kick than he thought it would.

Dipper managed to pull himself up, and went to look out, his rifle drawn. Not far from the shore. Far enough, his handgun would do him no good. But close enough...

He took aim through the scope, and...

"DIPPER! The island!" Someone yelled beneath him.

"What..." He turned his attention back to where the boat was going, just in time to see what was going to happen.

All of a sudden the entire ferry stopped slamming him into the metal door frame, hitting his head on the floor, as he fell. He heard everyone scream as they too were tossed around below him. He fought to stay awake, he needed to stay awake. However he couldn't. He drifted in and out for a while, as he laid there. Nothing seemed to come in order.

"Dipper! Oh God... Dipper, are you alright?" He heard his sister calling. Then silence.

"Dipper. C'mon, you'll be alright. Just get up." He hadn't been in the same place, but it was another voice, he thought it was Wendy's.

AVAVA

When he finally came to, he wasn't on the boat, but in the bed of the RV. Had it all been a dream? He sat up, looked out the window. The RV wasn't at the cabin. Or on the ferry. It was parked next to a few cabins, in the middle of the woods.

"How in the hell?" He muttered as he left the room, and stepped out of the RV.

"Dipper!" Mabel yelled as she came out of a cabin. Followed by Wendy, Pacifica, Tambry, and pig. Not just any pig. But Waddles the pig. "Dipper! You'll never guess what happened. Waddles is here! And..."

"Sup 'lil dude." The familiar sound of his older friend's voice was enough to bring tears to his eyes, as he saw Soos walk out of the cabin, everyone had come out of.

"Soos?" Dipper wondered just how hard he hit his head. "How?"

"Yeah, dude. I went to find you guys, but I found lil hambone here." He gestured to Waddles, "I finally found you guys at the old convince store. Some bad guy was trying to get in, but he spotted me and chased me and lil hambone. We hid out in this little water wheely house for a bit. But, when we came back one day, there was smoke coming out the chimney, so we took off. Found a boat, and rowed all the way here. And we've kinda been here ever since."


	14. Escape, and Catching Up

AVAVA

( Mabel Pines )

VAVAV

'Now entering Portland Oregon,' the sign said as they passed it. Something they would have bee happy to see about a year and a half before.

Now?

It was nothing more than a mockery.

Mabel looked over to her brother who was steadily driving, and trying to move around the cars that stood still in their lanes of the highway, that had started to give way to nature. Grass had started growing over the sides of the roads, vines worked themselves up the sides of the sound barriers. It seemed it didn't take very long for nature to reclaims sections of itself, that humanity had claimed for itself.

No, it wasn't completely overgrown, but you could still see the beginning stages, and Mabel was sure that in a few more years, it would look like some post-apocalyptic movie scene.

As the greenery outside had crept over the edges. Silence, had done the same inside the vehicle that they road in.

"Dipper?" Mabel asked after a few more minutes of watching the highway, slowly moving passed her.

"Yeah?" He answered still fixated on the roads, and the stopped vehicles around them.

"You think everyone else is alright?" She wondered about their friends that had been left behind.

It wasn't as if they had made the choice to leave.

No.

They had not been given a choice at all.

"I don't know. I'm sure they are alright. I mean... we did get enough warning." Dipper's eyes remained focused on the road. "And when we used the walkie, before we got too far, everyone was alright."

"Yeah, they had gotten away. And gotten vehicles, so that's good." It was good. Dipper hadn't been sure that too many vehicles were left that hadn't been in control of the Dark Blood gang. And he had been surprised when Wendy told them that they had two cars. Enough to fit everyone in, not completely comfortable, but they would be able to escape. "So, where's the mall?"

"We'll get there tomorrow. The malls not far, but we planned to meet there tomorrow. We'll find somewhere to sleep tonight, and we'll go there tomorrow."

The plan had been to meet at the mall, and try to gather whatever provisions would be needed. Dipper had argued that the mall would have been the first place to be picked clean. That if they had been in Portland he would have went there the first morning to load up on supplies. That there wasn't a point.

Wendy however told him, that there might still be something left, and if not, the parking lot was big enough they could see the infected long before there was danger.

AVAVA

They pulled into the parking garage, and the sun was still up. Didn't seem to be much movement in the mall's parking garage. Which was just what they were hoping for.

All of the other places they had went to, had been surrounded by infected, or looked like there were survivors inside. And after the Dark Bloods, there was no way Dipper would consider walking up to a place with other humans inside. At least, not for a while.

At the second to the top floor of the garage, Dipper had gotten out and moved one of the big metal trashcans into one of the corners of the parking garage. Then he parked the van so the car he moved, and the van, made a square with the edges of the corner. Enough room to get out and stretch or walk around a bit.

Once parked Dipper got into the back, opened the side doors long enough to get out, then closed them again. It was enough to cool the temperature in the car down, noticeably. He opened the back of the van, grabbing out a few pieces of wood, and some paper, before closing it too.

Mabel moved over the arm of her seat and into the back seat, which was partially filled with food, water, and other equipment. Only the farthest backseat remained, because it would have taken to long to remove, and it converted into a bed. Which Dipper decided would be useful. When she next looked outside, there was now a fire burning in the metal trashcan. And Dipper had brought, or found something that sat over the top, so he could put opened cans on.

"Guess he's cooking dinner." She thought to herself, and she rummaged around looking for her coat. Once she found it, she put it on, then went to join Dipper outside by the fire.

While sitting next to her brother, she thought about what had lead them to this situation.

AVAVA

( Two Days Earlier )

VAVAV

They had been on the island, that was known a Scuttlebutt Island, for about a week. They took shifts watching the shore of the mainland to make sure no one was trying to come across to get them. And for the first few days, there had been nothing to report. No one had tried to come over, mostly due to their handyman friends oddly quick thinking.

After Soos had managed to find the boats, he had thought about people trying to follow him over. So, the row boats that were on the mainland's side, he tied three together, and took them over to the island. Took one back, then brought two more back to the island. And so on and so forth, until he felt he was safe.

A normal person would have put holes in the other boats, or disabled them so he couldn't be followed.

But, their Soos wasn't normal. And they wouldn't know it then, that they would be needed later.

Pacifica, and Tambry, usually fought and argued over this and that. Maybe the fact that they seemed safe allowed them a bit to bicker back and forth. It brought some normalcy. Since, no one could tolerate each other completely forever. They had mainly held that in for survival is nothing else.

Dipper, and Wendy, had spent quite a bit of time together since coming to the island in the lake.

Where-as she, Soos, and Waddles spent time together mostly, when she wasn't helping Thomas with helping Anna, much to Anna's chagrin.

Anna could walk around on her own, but she wasn't very fast, at least until she healed a bit more. But Thomas was the ever vigilant 'little brother', and was pretty bossy too. Which delighted everyone, since Anna's personality seemed to boarder on edge with Tambry's.

So all in all, things were falling into a nice calm routine. Something that Mabel didn't know if it had been planned.

Then came the few attempts to get on the island. Quickly remedied, by Wendy, or Dipper with the rifle. They'd sink the boats.

No boat meant no way on the island.

Seemed perfect.

Then came the night then a voice came over the walkie-talkies.

"Whoever's on Scuttlebutt Island. They are coming. Tonight." The voice said. And it was familiar, but no one could place it.

Though it was enough to get everyone to the boats. With as many supplies as they could carry. They could take out one boat at a time, easy. But seeing several boats, they knew they had to go. They waited until the boats landed on the island, before starting out for the main land. When they landed, the first thing way splitting up trying to find somewhere to go, some way to get there.

It was decided, that Soos, Anna, Thomas, and Tambry would be another. Mainly because Soos could carry Anna, Tambry needed to keep checking her leg. And Thomas wouldn't go anywhere without Anna. Leaving Wendy, Pacifica, her and Dipper as another. They kept in contact via walkie-talkie, until gunfire split Wendy and Pacifica, from her and Dipper.

By the time Dipper and her had found the van, and put all their things inside. A group of someone had found them. They hadn't known if it was Dark Blood, or if it was anyone else. Only that, they were not going to stay around long enough to find out.

Dipper had driven towards the tunnel, and when they got there, they found that while they were at the cabin, or while they were on the island. They had managed to clear the tunnel... or had whoever Dark Blood was, come from the other side of the tunnel?

They still didn't know.

They were no closer to finding out what happened with the infected, and how they came to be. Yet, more questions popped up.

AVAVA

( Dipper Pines )

VAVAV

Dipper sat up on the bed, where he had fallen asleep when Mabel too her shift keeping watch. He looked out the window to see Mabel sitting outside the van, tossing something into the fire. They had went out to look for wood for the fire, though in the city, logs just wasn't readily all over the place. In the mall, however, wooden furniture was readily available. And he remembered that time in the Hydro-Electric house, that chairs and wooden furniture could be used when needed to keep warm. So no doubt she was tossing a leg into the fire, or two.

He crawled off the bed, and grabbed the walkie-talkie.

"Wendy? Anyone? You there?" He asked into the walkie-talkie.

He hadn't gotten an answer since they made the plan. He hoped they'd be close enough to them now, even if they only got a weak signal. They didn't have that wide of a range on them. Only about ten miles, twelve is they were lucky.

Nothing but static came back.

AVAVA

He joined Mabel outside, and she was using one of their camping pans, to cook bacon. Canned bacon, one of the most wonderful things of the apocalypse. Now if he could just find some canned eggs, and toast.

"Mornin', Bro-Bro." She smiled as he stepped next to the fire, and he savored the scent in the air. Leave it to Mabel to cook something, and help one forget the world was going to hell around them.

"Morning." He answered as he sat down on the side of the van, where the two doors were open. He yawned as he noticed that the sun would be rising soon, as he saw a bit of pink on the horizon.

"We'll be able to see them when they come. They'll be coming from the same direction we did right?" She asked flipping the bacon, before adding water to the powered eggs.

His lips curled a bit, he hated powered eggs, they tasted so weird.

"Yeah, we should see them coming. That's why I choose this corner."

AVAVA

Breakfast had come and gone, as did lunch, even dinner. And still no sign of the other part of the group.

Had they lied and told them they found a vehicle to make sure they left and were safe?

Had someone managed to catch up to them?

Some crazy nomadic drivers cornered them?

Where they? ...

"Dip?" A voice came over the walkie. "Dip, you there? We're almost at the mall, had car trouble. Had to find another one, since one broke down. If you guys are...

"Wendy?" He almost yelled into the phone.

"Whoa... yeah Dip. Weren't worried were you? We'll be there soon."

"Come to the parking garage. Second to the top floor. South corner. We'll be waiting."


	15. Garages, and Reunions

AVAVA

( Dipper Pines )

VAVAV

Forty-Five minutes.

It had been forty-five minutes since Wendy had contacted them via walkie-talkie. It shouldn't have taken them this long to get there. Something had to of happened.

Maybe someone ambushed them.

He hadn't went out to check the surroundings. He hadn't checked the other buildings along the path that they had taken to get to the mall. So, it was possible that they could have been ambushed.

Or worse... what if they had an accident?

An animal could have run out into the road, causing them to swerve into another car. Or a building... What if they flipped their car? Anything could have happened. They could need help right now, and he wouldn't know. He was supposed to be the one that saved everyone. But if he didn't know... if he wasn't there...

"Dipper. They'll be here soon." Mabel's voice pulled him out of his worrisome thoughts.

"I'm not worried." He started, even though he knew that it was a lie. He was worried. How could he not be worried? He was sure that his sister knew that as well.

Of course she did. This was his twin. She obviously knew since she had been with him since birth. So, it would stand to reason that she would... But if she knew this, then she should also know that anything could have happened... and they should head out and...

"Stop over thinking things, Dipper!" Mabel called out a bit louder than usual, though she wasn't angry. "You're gonna worry yourself sick. And we can't afford for you to lose you're lunch, Wendy and them, have the bulk of the food."

She had a good point. Though, what she hadn't known was that he hadn't actually eaten for the last two days. He had been rushed, when grabbing food from the RV, and hadn't grabbed enough. Then again, he hadn't known that he would need enough food for himself and Mabel for more than two days. So, he had been giving Mabel the food he had brought, and was doing without.

Yeah, Mabel would be upset with him. However, as far as he was concerned, it was now his job to protect his sister, and making sure she ate was part of it. Just like making sure that everyone else was alright.

"You're doing it again." Mabel had crossed her arms, and forehead scrunched in a slight frown. "I'm sure they just got turned around, or missed the turn. They'll be here soon."

As if summoned. The sound of engines running on the level of the parking garage below them.

What if it wasn't them, though? What if it was someone else? What if they had been ambushed, then other part of the group found out where he and Mabel were, and were now on their way to finish off the group.

His hand went to the gun that sat at his hip.

"Mabs," His hand went out to his sister's shoulder. "Come over here... behind the van."

"Why? It's just..." Mabel started.

"Maybe it's not." He muttered. He didn't want to believe that anything was wrong. He didn't want to think that something had happened to Tambry, Pacifica, Soos, Anna or Thomas... and of course Wendy.

"Dip. We're coming up... so don't try to shoot us." The muffed voice from the walkie behind him in the van's seat.

A sigh escaped his lips, as he removed his hand from the gun, just seconds before the first vehicle could been seen coming up the ramp, then the other behind it, and the moving van behind that. Wendy drove the lead car, and they had managed to get Tambry to drive one of the other vehicles. Which, amazed Dipper that they had even made it, but they indeed made it. That was clear from the sight of the mini caravan that was coming up.

"See, I told you they were okay." Even though Mabel sounded as if she were gloating, he could tell, that she had been a bit worried about their friends as well, though he doubted that she would admit it.

Even though he had seen the small caravan of vehicles, and had heard Wendy over the Walkie. Dipper hadn't actually completely relaxed until he saw the redhead of his affections get out of the car. She looked tired, her hair was a mess, as if she had spent most of the trip running on hand or the other through it. Dark bags under her eyes, and just looked plain tired.

AVAVA

( Wendy Corduroy )

VAVAV

It had been a long ride. She had Thomas in the car with her, and Anna was with Tambry. In case Anna needed more medication or her bandage changed. She didn't dislike the boy. Not at all. Though, when the boy was worrying her about Anna, who was in another car. And asking the same questions over and over. While knowing that there wasn't any way that she would have known. It had been frustrating. More than once she had reached up and pulled her hair, and bit down on her tongue, to hold whatever thought that was about to escape though her mouth. Because she didn't want to hurt the boy's feelings.

Most of that frustration had almost melted away, once she caught sight of Dipper. Maybe it was because that Dipper always seemed to make her feel better about most situations, always tried his best to fix any problem that she might have. Or it could be what he just made her feel safe, ever since everything had begun... rather, ever since she had ran into him at Dusk Til Dawn. But still, he had made it his business to protect everyone in their little group. And so far, he had done his job perfectly.

"Dipper!" She called out as she rushed over to Dipper. She hadn't wanted to seem as though she were more excited to see him, than Mabel. But she hadn't been able to hide it completely. No, the smaller brunette just rolled her eyes, with a big grin on her face. The other female understood that Wendy hadn't excluded her in her excitement.

"You all made it." Dipper said as he hugged her. And just like that, whatever tension or worry that she might have been feeling, at that time, just seemed to melt away. "I was worried. How far behind is Soos?"

"He couldn't take the same route and insisted that we take the sorter route to get here sooner." She pulled back from Dipper a little so she could see his face.

Soos had been driving a large moving truck they had found to transport the generators and freezers. But due to the height of what they had stacked on the top of the truck, due to not having enough room in the truck, he couldn't take the same way.

"He's alright?" He asked.

"Yes, he'll be fine. It's been dead the entire ride. Haven't seen anyone, alive or dead.

AVAVA

It hadn't been much longer after Wendy and that part of the group had shown up, did Soos' voice come over the walkie. The truck here, like back on the road, had ran into the same problem, and couldn't come into the parking garage. Resulting in them having to unload the truck that Wendy had driven, to take the things off of Soos' truck. Of course, they knew that something else would have to be arranged for when they left the parking garage. Another moving truck or something could be acquired.

Portland was not their destination, only a place to stop to see if they could re-supply. They destination for now, was unknown. No plan, except surviving the winter. It would have been better to stay in Gravity Falls, where at least they knew the layout. But Portland, she knew a little, since her family had moved there.

Wendy had discussed it with Dipper, after helping get everyone to the same area of the parking garage. They would go out to her family's home to see if they survived or not. Wendy was on the fence about the idea. She truly wanted to know. Though, she didn't have her hopes up. So many of her friends and loved ones had survived... what were the odds that her family had survived as well.


	16. Home, and Letters

AVAVA  
( Dipper Pines )  
VAVAV

Dipper looked over the part of the city that he could see. The view that he had been looking at for the better part of their two weeks there. In fact, the only time that he hadn't been looking over the edge of their little corner of safety, was when he was out scavenging for supplies and food. He didn't want to admit it, but their sudden departure from Gravity Falls had been abrupt, had seriously lessened their supplies. 

Since they had taken boats back, only limited items could be brought. Limited food, due to the weapons and ammo that was a must. 

In their eyes, the food could be replaced. Whereas, most of the towns weapons had been already taken by the various groups. Those that had come from Gravity Falls, and those that had, some how, found their way into Gravity falls.

Dipper held no illusions that every gang, or militia that was in Gravity Falls came from there. But he also understood the reasoning for them going there. Small towns held less people, meaning less infected, meaning less danger. Making small towns the most desirable places to live. 

So, that being the case, the brought their weapons and medication. And managed to get a few vehicles working, and loading up on what they could take, when they could take it. 

He and Mabel hadn't been too lucky finding supplies on their way. The other groups had been a bit more sussessful, though with the impending winter coming upon them. With no real way to know what was coming. 

Like before, they had no weather reports, they had no radars. And unlike before, no mysterious stranger over a CB radio telling them a storm was coming. Any minute clouds could roll in, and they could be snowed in for days, maybe weeks. And all they had was a little corner barricaded with vehicles. Good for holding off infected, no so much the cold. The barrel that they used for a fire, it was good for their little square of safety, but against the chance of a blizzard? Not even a blizzard. Right now, with what they had... they might not even make it through a regular snow storm, much less a blizzard. 

Since their scavenging, they had enough supplies to make it to another city, another town. But where? Which one? Did any of them hold more safety than the next? Did they really want to live the rest of their lives as nomads? Traveling from place to place, scavenging when they could? What happens when the canned foods run out? There were no more factories. The day would come where the last can of food would be opened and consumed. He didn't know when, and didn't know where. But he knew that it would happen.

His gaze turned to those sleeping in the vehicles around him. Peaceful, even though they were cramped into vehicles for warmth. Something would have to be done. 

They couldn't survive here, not during the winter. So, that meant finding them a place to stay. Houses in the neighborhoods around their current area had houses that were too close together. These things tended to happen in cities, something that he disliked, something he missed about Gravity Falls. Never would he have thought that he would have preferred a small town to a city. 

Of course small towns had more mysteries to solve. Not to mention all the legends and lore that were associated with them as well. But access to better equipment, better libraries, supplies, games foods... it had been a no brainer.

Now, since cities easily have become one of the most dangerous places to be. He would rather a nice small town. But since he wasn't in a small town, he had to make due with that he had to work with. 

There were hotels, but they wouldn't be able to keep in eye on their supplies that they couldn't move into the buildings, without too much risk of being attacked.

There were buildings that had parking garages, though it was pretty similar. Though, he supposed that they could stay, instead of in a room in a building, they could stay just near the parking garages. Maybe even barricade the garage with cars so no one could get into it. At least not easily.

Again, the houses were too close together, and not as protected as hotel or building walls. Though, more protective than a corner of an out door car garage.

A school maybe. Might even be stocked with food. Sure the freezers would have went, and anything in it would be spoiled, but the canned food, and instant potatoes would be useful, if not tasty. Though, taste, right now. Well, that didn't compare to survival. 

A fire-station could be useful. Could move out the firetrucks, if they were still inside, and park the loaded vehicles inside before closing the doors, protecting them, and their supplies. 

He would make it a point to check out fire-stations today, when him and Wendy went to check out her parents house. They would have went sooner, though, Wendy had been waffling on going or not. She was worried for her family, he knew. However, he also knew that she was also worried about what they would find when they arrived at the house. Though, she seemed adamant about going today and unlike before, she hadn't backed down shortly after. So, he would be a good friend, and boyfriend, and stand by her when she needed him, and maybe give a shove in the right direction. He knew it would be hard if she found out something bad happened, but it would be better to know. Better than always wondering.

AVAVA  
( Wendy Corduroy )  
VAVAV

Wendy looked up at the house that she had left more than a year prior. It looked completely different. It wasn't in ruins. It didn't have holes in the walls nor the windows. It might look a bit unkempt, since the grass had been allowed to grow unchecked. Though, there did seem to be a lot of trash in the yard. In fact there seemed to be a lot of trash all over the place.

When she left, it was never meant for her to be gone this long. She had only been grabbing stuff from the old house. Would her parents be happy to see her? Would her brothers be happy? 

Would they even be alive?

“We don't have to go in, you know.” Dipper's hand now resting on her shoulder. He had mentioned it a few times. That she didn't have to go in. But he was wrong. She had to do this. She had to know. 

“We need to check. I need to know.” She muttered as she fished her keys out of her pocket. Keys that she never thought she would use again, but didn't have the heart to toss them. 

She first tried the door's handle, maybe she was stalling for a little more time. Locked. That was a good sign, or at least she hoped. Locked meant that they hadn't turned into these things at first. Right? Or maybe they could have been in bed and turned, then no one would have been 'alive' to unlock it again.

“Would it be better if I went in? I could check for you.” Dipper offered. It was kind of him. He had always been so kind to her. So willing to sacrifice for her. “I'll go in first, alright?”

“Thank you.” Was all she could muster up to say. 

AVAVA  
( Dipper Pines )  
VAVAV

The first thing that he had noticed upon entering the house, there wasn't a smell of rotting flesh. To him, that was a good thing, or a very bad one. It meant either, everyone was alright, or everyone had turned into one of the infected.

His eyes roamed around the living room. Nothing seemed out of place. Nothing seemed damaged. If they had all been infected, then he was sure they would have damaged things trying to escape the house.

He wandered through the house. Everything was void of the Corduroys. Some drawers were left ajar in the bedrooms. The kitchen was pretty much void of food. Just a piece of paper on the counter.

“It's all clear.” Dipper called out to Wendy as he read the paper on the counter.

“So, they're not...” She started as she entered the kitchen, but Dipper interrupted her by handing her the piece of paper.

“'Wendy,'” he listened to the words that he had read, as she read them aloud. “'We waited for you as long as we could. We tried getting to Gravity Falls, but the tunnel was blocked. With no other way to contact you, we decided to leave a note here. Hoping that if you survived, you would return here. We are all safe, and are heading to the cabin that we spent Christmas' with your grandmother. We hope to see you soon. Mom.' They're alive!” Wendy was far beyond tears. “Dipper! They are alive!.”

The note had been dated more than half a year ago, and anything could have happened. Though, Dipper had no problem believing that Manly Dan and his sons, were able to survive this, and protect Wendy's mother. So, he wouldn't even bother telling her that after six months anything could happen. There was no way that he would ever ruin the happiness she felt now, with maybes.

“Yes, they are.” Dipper said. “And if you want, we can go there. If you remember how to get there. We can go and see them”

“But we...” She started. 

“We don't actually have any set plans.” Dipper stated, and it was true.

“We need to find a place everyone can survive winter.” She sighed looking around. “The cabin is big, but Dipper, I don't think it can hold seven more people.”

“Might be other cabins close by. Even if it's a few miles.” He said as he reached out for her hand.

This was important to her, so it was important to him. So he would do what he thought was necessary to do what she wanted. He knew there would be other cabins, other buildings. And in an area like that, it was normally occupied during the winter, and since the infection broke out at the last of the summer. Odds were, there would be little to no infected in the area. So, clearing out an area for the winter wouldn't be hard at all.

AVAVA

A new convoy made it's way through a deserted highway. The movies depicted cars everywhere, left alone or crashed. Now and again, you'd see a car on the side of the road, or you'd see one crashed into a ditch, a tree, or a railing. But mostly the roads were empty.

The new convoy was pretty much the same as before, except the van had been replaced by another moving truck. They really didn't want to end up back tracking and going around so the truck would fit, with items loaded up on top.

The good news they were a couple hundred miles away from Portland, without incident. The bad news? They were only a little under half way there. They found gas stations when they could. The ones without power could be hooked up to a generator to allow them to pump gas if need be. And of course they would loot every station they came across. Junk food was better than no food. Even if they had food, adding more couldn't hurt.


	17. Reunions, and Home

AVAVA  
( Dipper Pines )  
VAVAV

At first Dipper had thought that Wendy had gotten lost or had forgotten the way. Since the last hour or so they had seen nothing but woods along the road, which had stopped being an actual road half an hour ago and turned from pavement to dirt. He had thought that, until it opened up a bit more. There was what looked like overgrown farm land, which didn't make it any easier to see, than miles and miles of trees. 

Though, when Wendy almost started bouncing in her seat, much like Mabel would when she was excited, upon seeing the cabin in the distance, he has stopped thinking she was lost.

Wendy had not been joking when she said that the cabin was deep in the woods. There was no way anyone would stumble upon this place. And due to how secluded it was, he doubted many infected would be around. Couldn't be many infected, if there were little to no people around when it happened. 

In the drive way, he could see the Corduroy's car as he slowed to a halt.

'Alright, so it looked like they made it here, at least.' He thought to himself. He didn't want to spread doubt to Wendy's thoughts. Anything could have happened between Portland and here. And even so something could have happened.

The car in the drive way was about a good forty-five hundred yards from where they were stopped. Wendy was just sitting there. He was just sitting there. He wanted to tell her that things might not work out. That something could have happened, that he didn't want anything to have happened. But he wanted her prepared, though at the same time. He didn't want to take this happiness from her.

-Hey, Dip.- Mabel's voice comes over the walkie. -What's the holdup?- 

“Nothing, just was thinking.” He was calling back. “Me and Wendy are about to go up now.”

-I wanna come.- Mabel's voice came back.

“Mabel... Just wait. Me and Wendy...”

-Wendy?- A voice appeared over the radio, one he didn't recognize.

Dipper just looked at his walkie dumbfounded. Confused. His brain didn't register the voice as part of the group, because it wasn't. But it still had something familiar to it. He should have figured it out before Wendy pulled the walkie from his hands.

“Mom?” She asked quietly.

-Wendy!- They heard her speak, then the voice got a bit far away, as if Mrs Corduroy had forgotten to let go of the button. -Dan... Dan... it's her. It's our baby.- 

All at once things seemed to be set into motion. The front door of the cabin opening, and Dipper watched the family stop, upon noticing the rest of the convoy. Maybe concerned about the amount of people that might be in them. Maybe curious if Wendy was a hostage of some sort? Either way, the last thought. If they had it. Would have been voided the moment Wendy opened the door, and ran out to her parents.

-Can we get out now?- Mabel's voice came over the walkie.

“Yeah, just... pull up as close as you can behind me, everyone.” Dipper said pulling the truck as close to the cabin has he could get. The got out of the truck. 

“Mom... Mom... this is Dipper.” Both parents eyed him, followed by the trio of brothers. And at the moment, Dan's eyes were the ones that scared him the most.

“I remember him,” Dan's voice almost echoed, not that he yelled. The deep voice just projected itself. “He's that con-artist's nephew.” 

'Oh, boy. He did not sound too pleased about that.' Dipper thought.

“Daddy.” Wendy's voice was stern, though she still had a smile. And why wouldn't she? She just found her parents, who were alive, beyond all odds. “Dipper is the reason I'm alive.” She said reaching out to her father's arm. Then she turned her head. Soos, Mabel, Pacifica, Thomas, and Anna being helped by Tambry. “Dipper's the reason we are all alive.”

AVAVA

“And then, out of nowhere, this little dork falls from the ceiling.” Wendy had just finished talking about her experience before they had met at Dusk Til Dawn. He had expected her story to be a bit more exciting, though really there was nothing to tell. He had been gathering things, and when crap went crazy he tried to high tail it. And ended up in Dusk Til Dawn.

“But then he wanted to move to the graveyard, and we were like... What? But we went anyways, cause well. Dipper's Dipper.” Mabel had continued. And Dipper had been sitting back, enjoying the peacefulness of the situation. They were safe. Exchanging stories as if they had just been separated for a while, and the entire world wasn't insane right now.

“But then Dipper caught Tambry trying to cut her way into the graveyard with a metal file. Like that was going to work.” Wendy laughed.

“Hey! It would have worked...” Tambry defended herself.

“Then we thought we lost Dipper after a... scavenging mission.” Obviously Mabel didn't want to admit it was to the video store. “He got shot, and it was scary. We didn't find him until a couple days later.”

“Not long after, he saved Pacifica. And things were great until.” He had started to doze off as they got to when the cabin they were in had been attacked. So he had missed the retelling of bring Anna and Thomas, and even missed the part about the Island.

AVAVA  
( Wendy Corduroy )  
VAVAV

She looked over and noticed that Dipper was sleeping, and smiled. He hadn't looked that peaceful since when they were on the Island and safe. Since this entire trip/escape had began he had been on edge, and hadn't been sleeping much. She was finally glad that he was able to relax and sleep. He deserved it.

“Sounds like quite the adventure.” Her mother's voice had pulled her attention back to the conversation. “And it sounds like we owe this guy a lot.”

“Not just that. He decided that we should come here. Instead of finding a safe place to bunker down for the winter. He bet everything on coming here. That you guys would be alive and safe. That there would be other cabins they could live in. He bet everything on me.” She loved him. She had already known that since they had found him alive. Alright, so she had started thinking about him before that, but she hadn't admitted it to anyone until after that.

“Alright, so. How about we cook something up, then find out where everyone is bunking tonight. We'll leave Dipper here on the couch. It would be a shame to have to wake him. He looked exhausted.” Her mother said.

“We'll handle the cooking.” Mabel calls pulling Pacifica closer, who protests, due to knowing little to nothing about cooking.

“I'm afraid supplies are a bit low... considering there are many more mouths to feed.” Her mother started.

“Don't worry about that. We have a moving truck and a half full of food. And generators, and solar panels, and all kinds of stuff Dipper said we needed.” Mabel called over he shoulder as she was pulling Pacifica outside with her, who was still protesting. “Gotta learn sometime.”

“Well, she's a bit spunky, huh?” No doubt her mother was talking about Mabel. Which was true. Before all this Mabel had been a bundle of energy. There were a few moments where she thought they would lose that innocent, fun loving, Mabel. It seems they hadn't lost her. “So, you've brought supplies?”

“You've no idea, Mom.” She smiled, “And enough so we could get through a harsh winter, according to Dipper. I mean, I think I could do the math. But... I'd have to know about everything, then the carbs, and calories... and well. We just take Dipper's word for it. We've lived this long, without starving.”

AVAVA

Dinner had been beyond enjoyable. Mabel had cooked spaghetti, something they hadn't been able to make in a while, since they had a lack of noodles, that Mabel had found among the things that had been stored in the trucks. Mabel figured, since nothing had been unpacked that it would make a good easy meal to feed all the people without causing too much work.

Her mother had proven to be almost Dipper like, as she assigned places to sleep. It would be temporary since her father had mentioned a couple of cabins that could be seen from this one. She had a vague memory of seeing them as she played in the field as a youth, but she couldn't tell if it was an actual memory, or if them being mentioned caused her imagination to imagine them. 

Her father had even talked about building a smaller cabin between the three, that could serve as a clinic for Tambry. It was a good idea, she thought. Because it would give Tambry a place to store all her medical supplies, and a place where she could study more of the medical text books. But that it would have to wait until spring, that it would be too hard now to fall the trees that would too cold to cut. She wasn't sure about the other cabins, but she knew this one had a basement, so there would be a spot to store everything, for now.

“Tomorrow, we will go and look at the other cabins.” Her father had said before heading to bed, while he was a man of few words, he did continue. “I am glad you made it. I was afraid we had lost you.”

“I love you, Dad.” She said then watched him go off to bed. 

'He was afraid?' She had never known her father to be afraid of anything. Even if the big lumberjack hardly showed it, she knew he loved her. Well, he showed he emotions when it came to her, and loving her. But, afraid?. That was something that she didn't that her father could be.

She laid next to Dipper on the large sofa, and laid her head on his chest. It had been a long trip, a long road. And so many things had happened. They went from the end of the world, to finally finding a place to call home, a place that was already a 'home' to her. Found her family. And Dipper had finally found a place that was safe, that they could plant food this coming year. A place they could live, and not just survive.

It finally was over.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, this is it for Dead Falls.
> 
> But the Adventure is not over. Look forward to Dead Falls 2. Dipper and Mabel will set off in search of their parents. Some friends will go with them, some will remain with the Corduroys. New friends might show up. We'll see what the future holds.


End file.
